The One Left Behind
by NeverWillBe
Summary: "Nii…" he heard her whisper as the thought of her dressing so dangerously beautiful for another inspired jealousy in him. Standing wordlessly, she had a certain stare that weighed like a thousand of hopeful prayers. And against all odds, he answered them.
1. Prologue

Hey people. This is my very first Bleach fanfic and I've decided to give the Byakuya-Rukia pairing a go (since I got so frustrated watching the series, hoping for more scenes between the two only to get disappointed most of the time). Anyway, here's the prologue and do give me constructive criticism through reviews. Cheers.

PROLOGUE

Sereitei's sixth division Taicho. Great looks. Wealthy. Noble. Powerful.

Widowed.

He wasn't afraid of death, whether it be his own or of the people around him. Perhaps there was once he did, when he had something he held dear, but that was all history. He could live perfectly well—pride-driven and rational in every single thing he did.

So it was ironic that he was fazed by life itself—when life comes in the form of his adopted sister.

The spark of life Rukia carries with her all the time… He noticed how bright it burns ever since her adoption, and how it shook in winds of change or times of crisis, and how it burst forward as though trying to claim his sense of logic and eat away his tight control on emotions.

But alas, Kuchiki Byakuya's life was meant to be black and white, straightforward and devoid of unnecessary elements… such as romance, at least, that was the case after Hisana's death. Therefore, whatever Rukia did with that spark of hers shouldn't be a nuisance to him the way it definitely was right now. He couldn't deny how it affected him. How he _feared_ it. His flawless façade was fading. For most of his life as a shinigami he was contented to be the arrogant noble with a heart as cold as Hitsugaya's zanpakuto, but now he would occasionally hear gossipers describing him as a loving brother. He did not protest, but he felt unease for the situation was entirely out of his control.

Being the observant man that he was, he noticed the tiny telltale signs of the beginning of his lack of emotion-control. He _should_ have taken precautions and effectively carried out all necessary steps to avoid undesirable outcomes. But he didn't.

Because, really, he wasn't a straightforward person, not anymore, despite the way his life was paved out for him. He used to love with all his might and took the direct approach to fight for what he and Hisana shared. He fought bravely for their marriage. He fought with immeasurable passion and more bravery to save it when it started crumbling under the Elders' pressure. And he knew he gave it his all when he fought to keep Hisana at his side.

He wanted to grow old with her.

He was met with failure. He realised the worst type rejection was one in the form of death that comes after total acceptance and fragile happiness. _Why won't you stay and continue loving me, Hisana?_

Being straightforward was playing with fire. It burnt him, though the pain no longer mattered. He became the embodiment of numbness.

He knew better now than to face his predicament head-on. In his mind, he made delicate plans that involve minimum confrontations and of course, zero emotion, to address the problem Rukia had unknowingly caused. She should never know. The same applies to the whole of Soul Society. Nobody was to know that Kuchiki Byakuya had a problem with… the liveliness of his sister. _It sounds ridiculous to begin with. _He would not tell her anything about his day at work. He would eat in silence when they dine together. He would not enquire about her whereabouts. He would avoid her at all cost.

He would watch her die if he must.

That was the plan. And he continually told himself the problem will be gone once her spark was shut off from him, never reaching his soul ever again. Yet, his indulgence in what appeared to be platonic sibling love did not cease. As a matter of fact it increased significantly after the Sokyouku incident. And it was virtually impossible for him to watch her die. He couldn't deny that. _I would die in your place if I must._

_Because I'm not loved, but nevertheless in love with you. And I don't like being left behind. Not again._

Being non-straightforward wasn't effective, he concluded. Not when her spark already lit up the corners of his conscience, overwhelming him with the sudden intrusion of positivity. His plan failed miserably, but to say the least, nobody's a loser now, right? They didn't lose each other. Perhaps, she would stay at his side as a sister forever, without ever understanding the real motive of his accidental display of kindness towards her.

She should never understand. He loved the way she beamed up at him in assurance when he stared down at her battered body in the 4th division after an unsuccessful mission. She no longer burdened herself with extreme formalities with him nor did she apologise for failing her shinigami duties. He also vaguely remembered in another instance, how he enjoyed the way she inspected his wounds in their residence when he insisted to leave the 4th division barracks before getting proper treatment. He was too eager to see her unharmed at home to wait for Unohana taicho. _Okairinasai, Nii-sama. _Her greetings were the best thing that could happen to him in times of war. What she called him could always be overlooked.

Sometimes, when her spark blinded his rationality momentarily, he even believed that she was the best thing that could happen to him in a lifetime.


	2. Chapter 1

Yes, I'm an impatient writer. Uploaded the 1st chapter even though I planned to do it weekly... Hence so far I've only got ONE review. Yikes. But that was really appreciated =] oh well, I'm currently working on Chapter 2 and hopefully it'll be done by next week. And I realised I forgot to state the standard disclaimer.

Alright, Bleach does not belong to me and even so I've rudely taken advantage of the characters by freely writing a romance (ah, something that will never be properly addressed in the original) about them. But of course I'm doing this out of my love for creativity and fiction-writing, no profits whatsoever. By the way, a personal opinion: Byakuya and Rukia are not blood-related, hence there really isn't anything wrong with their...developing relationship. They don't even behave like normal siblings in the first place, no?

****

CHAPTER 1: FREED FROM THE CAGE

Rukia couldn't believe it. It couldn't be happening. Everything felt wrong even though the Elders' words made perfect sense.

What's 'sense', exactly? To her, Byakuya Nii-sama was all of her senses. He set the rules and she would obey without ever questioning anything. Because there was absolutely no need of doing so when he did everything based on logic, albeit pride-oriented. Rukia knew from the bottom of her heart there would be no harm as long as she was doing what Nii-sama expected of her.

Yet sitting in the grand meeting hall of the Kuchiki manor, listening to the annoying buzz of croaky voices that carried more authority than meaning and quality, she felt helplessly lost in a world of craziness and irrationality.

"The wedding would be magnificent, girl. You should be honoured. There is no other instance where a soul of no noble lineage is showered with such luxury."

Rukia stared blankly at the old man whom she recognized as Byakuya's great uncle and nodded mechanically. She instinctively moved her left hand away from her lap, towards the haori-covered elbow next to her, but stopped and dropped it limply on the ground. She knew, Nii-sama could not always save her from the Elders. _Not when he barely understood my fear and about this impending doom. No, impending marriage to… What's his name again?_

Another voiced rang through the hall. It was Yukina, Byakuya's aunt. "Oh yes, I would love to see a brilliant wedding ceremony. I have to say, Rukia, you deserve this. You've generally done well in the past 50 years. Byakuya-sama would tell us about your shinigami achievements now and then. I'm sure the young master of Seiryu would be more than happy to have you as his wife."

That's right, Shishio-sama of the Seiryu clan… Her fiancé. Rukia plastered what she hoped was a grateful smile towards Yukina and innerly cringed at the mention of the noble clan that sounded horribly alien to her. She knew nothing about them. She was going to marry someone from another planet!

"Hahah aren't you glad now, Rukia? Finally freed from this hell which you call home to be married off to someone who would actually value your existence? To you, this is the perfect escape! Holding the name of Kuchiki, there is no way the Seiryu clan would mistreat you," snickered Kuchiki Subame, a relatively young elder.

There was silence and Rukia realised she was still looking at Yukina, who had frowned at Subame's comment. Rukia's hand inched towards Byakuya again, but before she could make physical contact, Byakuya shot her a cold glance, effectively freezing her movements. She became aware that he was going to speak.

But of all things that could come out of that aristocratic mouth, she did not expect this: "Rukia, it has been decided that the wedding would be in a month and for now," he paused meaningfully and she saw him looking down at her hand that lay lifelessly on the hem of his haori before meeting her eyes again, "prepare yourself for it by learning all there is to know about the customs and traditions, especially the ceremonies. The preparations will probably begin next week. You are hence relieved from your shinigami duties starting tomorrow."

Rukia didn't know what her face looked like while she automatically memorized the words he said. Though, she managed to say, "I'm leaving Gotei 13 forever?"

"It would appear so," he stated plainly. And he knew her heart sank, noting the way the tinge of purple in her irises dulled to a shade of stagnant black.

"I see. Thank… you for… everything you've provided me over the years, Nii-sama. Rukia is… honoured and willing to carry out her final duty as a Kuchiki." Her voice was barely even, but at least she sounded calm.

He nodded and announced the meeting adjourned. He took one long look at his sister, who still sat stiffly in her seat. "Rest well for the night, Rukia."

Soon, two broken-hearted souls left the hall and sleeplessly they thought, "What am I doing?"

* * *

Byakuya was sure he was doing what was best for the clan. His grandfather would have done the same. Furthermore, Rukia did not show any signs of objections. She could be happy with Shishio Seiryu. The man was fairly decent, running a highly successful business as the sole provider of modified spirit particles meant for building purposes in Seireitei.

Rukia believed she was doing what she must as a grateful and sensible adopted Rukongai street rat. She could tell, by marrying, she would forge strong ties between the two noble clans, which would ultimately benefit the Kuchikis more than she could ever do by relentlessly working hard as a shinigami.

So what's wrong with this arranged marriage?

Byakuya and Rukia both knew. But it's a pity they did not share this essential piece of information with each other: They would miss each other.

He never wanted to let her go. The act of freeing a trapped swallow from its cage seemed noble, but for all he know he wanted to be selfish just so he could keep the wondrous creature in sight, so that he could carry on as a sane man.

She did not mind staying by him even if it meant losing the freedom she once knew. It was a beautiful feeling, knowing that she was protected, within his touch. She wouldn't mind staring out of the bars, accepting his subtle gentleness and what she thought was sibling love.

* * *

It was a few hours before dawn and Rukia was more than frustrated just lying in bed worrying about her upcoming wedding and counting the days left for her to spend… bits of time with her brother. She gave herself a bitter smile, recalling some of her mini conversations with Byakuya. Indeed, time spent with him was always in bits and random chunks. There were no such thing as proper quality time, but she enjoyed his presence whenever she could.

30 days weren't a lot, she decided. She left her chambers and strode hurriedly towards his reiatsu. _He's in the study._

She didn't know what to tell him, but quickly assured herself a natural conversation would eventually take place. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, she didn't know why, only registering the fact that she desperately needed a hug. _From him, to be precise._

When the heavy doors swung open, revealing the Head of Kuchiki frowning, first at the thick book he was holding, then at her, Rukia practically ran towards him.

"Nii-sama!"

"What is it, Rukia? You should be in bed."

"No, I shouldn't."

He looked questioningly at her but resume reading right after, and she took the cue to continue, "because… there really isn't much time. For us." She was surprised at her own choice of words, and judging from the way his eyes shot up to look directly at her, he was too.

They stood facing each other, both staring intently at each other for what seemed like ages, until his eyes softened. Byakuya placed the book back to the shelf it belonged and turned away from her.

She almost missed the single-syllable sound he made. "Us." It was neither a question nor a statement. He was trying to give the most appropriate definition for the term, but failing.

"Yes, Nii-sama, I meant… erm, you and I, we… won't be seeing much of each other after the wedding so…"

"Rukia," he interrupted, "it's possible that I will not see you at all once the ceremonies are over." He preoccupied his sight with the view of the gardens outside the windows of the study, but he heard her breath hitched.

"Oh." She didn't speak for a while after that.

And he was just as silent.

Rukia finally said, "I guess it would be inconvenient for you to visit. You always seem so busy, Nii-sama."

"It's not that, Rukia. The Seiryu clan is planning to move out of Seireitei for good. Your fiancé is intent on cutting ties with Seireitei in favour of spending his wealth and youth as…well, a nomad of sorts," he explained. If only he could, he would have a pained expression.

Rukia stared wide-eyed at her brother's back. "Nobody told me." Hurt was apparent in her voice. Her tone was one he wished he would never hear again.

"I'm sorry for not notifying you earlier." Against his better judgement, he turned to look at her. Just as he thought, pain was clearly displayed on her face. She was going to cry. But what is that look in her eyes? She seemed to be in preparation mode, willing herself to do something there and then.

Rukia took a timid step towards him. She had her head lowered before taking bigger steps.

She hugged him.

It was rather awkward at first and Byakuya was debating if he should return the gesture. A muffled sob against his robes made up his mind. He nudged her head, guiding her, and soon she had her face buried in his chest. Warm arms circled her waist and pinned her body against his, but she didn't mind. The sobs died down but they continue staying like that for several minutes, till she spoke up, her voice slurred from crying.

"Is that why the marriage was arranged? To keep the Seiryus in Seireitei?"

He was taken aback. Lightly detaching himself from her to look at her face, he hesitated. He was afraid that his answer would make her cry again, but he had to tell her. Rukia was a bright girl, she would figure it out sooner or later anyway. "Yes. However they have not confirmed a cancellation of the plans of retirement, even in light of the upcoming wedding."

She didn't know how to respond to that. Vaguely aware that his arms were still around her waist, she leaned on him once again, searching for words to say. The tears had dried and there were none left for her to shed. He too, was lost at the moment, uncertain of his next move.

In the end, he settled with a hollow assurance. "I would visit if they stay." He would make sure they provide her with everything she would ever need. Perhaps convince them to let her resume her shinigami duties.

There wasn't anything left he could offer, except… But that would be selfish of him. He shouldn't assume that she preferred staying with him, especially when she had to be burdened with the disapproval of the Elders in the clan.

She fisted the fabric of his robes. There was so much she wanted to say! "Nii-sama, please. I want to stay. Forgive Rukia for being irresponsible and giving up her duties as a Kuchiki. Forgive me for disappointing the Elders, and most importantly, you, Nii-sama. I can't marry him." Her voice sounded steely, seemingly devoid of emotions, but she had placed all her hope and will in her request. "Please allow me to stay. Don't send me away."

Yes, he could do that. He could fight the Elders and try to keep her, even though it would be an uphill battle. If that was what she really wanted, he would make the effort. "Why?" He voiced the first question that came after her sudden request. _Why would you want to stay?_

****

READ AND REVIEW!_  
_


	3. Chapter 2

Hey people. Firstly! Special thanks to those who reviewed =] I'm really glad to receive the positive feedback and hence here's chapter two for you! It's a lil' depressing compared to the 1st chapter and I apologise if this destroys your mood of the day. But this is how the plot goes yeah? I'm not sure how far this fic will stretch to but I'm expecting another eight chapters.

Feel free to drop some suggestions about the storyline in reviews. By the way, the next chapter might take a longer time for me to finish, since it will serve as the turning point of the entire story.

Uhhuh, we all know that Byakuya and Rukia do not belong to me. Renji makes a cameo appearance here (hmmm should I give him more screen time after this?)

Alrightey, enough blah-blah-blah. Read & Review!

**CHAPTER 2: SEVEN DAYS  
**

He felt like a moron, to be frank. He had once again let her fall when he could have caught her. He knew very well that this was one of those rare moments where she would let her guard down and behave like a female commoner in distress who so very unfortunately chose him to cling onto. She was his pride, but this fact alone was not enough for him to defy the logic he was raised to believe and uphold.

He was born a Kuchiki, and that meant duty would always come before desire. He allowed himself a bitter smile when an inner voice of his bluntly retorted, _bullshit._ But Byakuya decided that that tiny part of him should have died along with his youth, with Hisana. _It_ _would probably rest in peace once the wedding is over_.

He reasoned with himself, matter-of-factly, repeatedly reminding himself that Rukia was very much a Kuchiki like he was, though not by birth. If he was willing to brush aside the useless emotions for the greater good of Seireitei, why couldn't she do the same?

However, his thoughts were sour and sounded weak even to himself. He knew he wasn't just denying her out of duty. He did it also out of cowardice. _Afraid to love, Byakushi? _He did really consider granting her request, after all; yet he let his logic take over before he could entertain the tempting thoughts of keeping her.

It had been a week since that terribly awkward situation in the study with Rukia but here he was, still pondering on the righteousness of his actions while standing in the middle of the battle zone with several seated officers. Well, on the bright side, no one noticed that he was distracted. Ah, the advantage of having a poker face all the time!

…**there really isn't much time. For us.**

Her words stung him. Mildly annoyed at the memory of her voice he forced his attention to the faint approaching reiatsu. The stench of it suddenly intensified and he noted that it was a hollow almost of Menos level, but not much of a threat. The officers behind him tensed noticeably; Byakuya readied himself by placing a hand on the hilt of Senbonzakura, but let go just a second before the hollow made its dramatic appearance. _I'll let them have the lowlife_. And indeed, the shinigamis sprang into action, slashing the hollow with much force.

The brutal roar of the beast rang through the field and to Byakuya, it was a mind-splitting moment. It didn't allow him the liberty to properly dispose of unnecessary thoughts from his brain. So the almighty Kuchiki-sama stood there, stoned, all he could hear was her voice interlaced with the physical noise around him.

**Why?**

**I've always enjoyed your presence, Nii-sama. Shishio-sama, he… perhaps he is everything that I'll ever need, but he is never what I want.**

He watched as a shinigami landed on the hollow's back, delivering an effective stab to the white, ugly mask. The fallen hollow made a sickening screech and his mind was in havoc again. He heard his own distinct voice, saying something utterly inconvincing.

**For the sake of all that you know, Rukia, give this marriage a chance. He seems a promising husband.**

Then, his subordinates announced the complete defeat of the hollow with a blinding light of kido. A final roar erupted through the field and Byakuya thought his sanity went with it, disappearing into the reiatsu-filled air.

**But he can't give me _you_.**

* * *

Seven days without Nii-sama and she was still alive and well. Heck, she had gone three weeks without food, so she shouldn't be surprised by her own ability to survive in the most depressing circumstances.

She wondered if her face still looked the way it did when he mercilessly refused her wish to remain by his side. She was sure she had a disgusting facial expression then, one of pure mortification and disappointment. An undisguised emotion was a no-no for Kuchikis, you know. She should have demurely muttered an apology for asking more than she deserved. 50 years of training squashed to nothingness just by his mere rejection! She was beyond disgusted with herself now.

She was not hungry, not for food, at least. She lay on her futon, feeling the invisible void in her very being that was sucking the life out of her. She needed to be filled with comfort, care, and… just maybe, a second chance.

Rukia sighed and curled herself into a fetal position under the blanket. Touching her own cheek she was barely surprised that it was wet. She remembered the last time she was in such a pathetic state: Kaien's death had her collapse face-down on her futon and she had woken up in the exact position she was in right now, tears wetting her sheets.

The difference was that her precious Nii-sama had been there in the morning with a piercing stare that only she could recognise as reassurance. He gave her reason to pick herself up like a strong Kuchiki lady should.

Now she cried like a pathetic commoner who lost a fellow street thief. What irked her the most was not what he said to her but the sincerity of his words. She didn't want to believe him, but what to do when he himself left no room for doubts?

His unwavering belief in logic and distrust towards his ability to love pained her. And with an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness she recognised the reality that she couldn't stop crying because she was in love with him.

"I can't give you what you want either, Rukia," he had said with finality. "There's nothing here. There's nothing in me."

* * *

"How did the mission go, Taicho?"

"It was fine." Byakuya wasted not another word and strode to his desk, placing a thick stack of paperwork on Renji's during the process.

"Argh, I'm not going home anytime soon, am I?" Renji sighed and plopped down on his seat. His ink brush in midair, he turned to look at his captain. Kuchiki-taicho's reiatsu was suppressed as usual, but something was off. No, there weren't fluctuations, but the flow of energy was slow and forced. It gave the entire office a morbid atmosphere.

"Your ink is drying, Abarai."

"Oh!" The lieutenant laughed nervously at being caught, but Abarai Renji was a curious soul, and thus he daringly asked, "Taicho, you're upset about Rukia's wedding?"

Oh yes, the news had spread wide and far by now. In fact, the gossipers managed to beat Rukia to informing the sixth division lieutenant. The whole of Seireitei was generally shocked by the latest development in the nobles' affairs. Some were genuinely glad that the lack of building material crisis could be solved (hopefully), while others mourned the loss of the potential 13th division lieutenant. Some simply didn't care.

Byakuya couldn't come up with a quick reply to Renji's probing, so he decided to give a warning glare to the redhead as to end the conversation, though he mentally noted that his lieutenant was not as dense as he appeared to be.

Nevertheless Renji understood enough from his Taicho's reaction. There was no doubt that his captain cared very much for his childhood sweetheart, and for some reason he had hoped to hear a definite "yes" from the stoic noble. Perhaps it was because Renji knew long before Rukia herself that, she had every intention to stay forever a Kuchiki, under that polished and spotless roof with the man he tried so desperately to surpass.

Renji had spent the past seven days trying to imprint the image of Rukia as the wife of Seiryu, never again fighting by his side, and away from that overprotective brother of hers. _That image doesn't suit her_. Ichigo agreed with him on that thought when the two met up in the real world for old times' sake. It was one of those rare occassions, quiet and solemn without the bickering between the lieutenant and substitute shinigami. Both men were less than happy with the news of Rukia's engagement and downed bottle after bottle of sa-ke. They felt a mixture of anger and helplessness—anger towards the only one who could prevent the wedding and helplessness due to their inability to interfere with the noble's business.

No more, no more. Renji had heard enough of Kuchiki tragedies. Kouga and Yukina*. Byakuya and Hisana. The only ones who had loved before marriage were the very ones who suffered for it.

"Taicho, I hope to see both of you happy." His voice was a low whisper, but he was sure the other man in the office could hear just fine.

In the silence that suffocated them in the plain sixth division office, Renji heard the last brush of calligraphic writing followed by the rush of reiatsu out of the building.

For the first time in seven days, Byakuya shun-poed home.

**

* * *

**

*Kouga is from the villain from the Zanpakuto Rebellion arc found in the anime series but not in the manga. If you're interested about the details, Google or Wiki it ya? I feel that I won't do it justice if I were to briefly summarise the entire arc here. Yukina, on the other hand, is (sort of) my fictional character who appeared in Chapter 1, in case you didn't notice. She was Kouga's fiancee. In an anime scene with Ginrei (Byakuya's grandfather), her name was not mentioned and her face wasn't shown clearly. My personal guess is that she is Ginrei's daughter, hence Byakuya's aunt.

* * *

COMING SOON:  
A DIRECT ORDER FROM YAMAMOTO SOU-TAICHO. ANOTHER FRUSTRATING MISSION FOR BYAKUYA WHILE RUKIA ATTEMPTS TO OPEN A SENKAI GATE TO THE HUMAN REALM.

**

* * *

REVIEWS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I NEED MORE MOTIVATION, PEOPLE! =)**


	4. Chapter 3

Hello again. This chapter went a lil' out of control when I was writing, to be honest with you. And so Yamamoto Sou-taicho didn't even manage to make an appearance...yet. Byakuya was supposed to go on a mission, as I've revealed at the end of the previous chapter. But I guess I'll have to write the mission bit after this... On the bright side, our favourite couple get to have some together-ness instead (you have no idea what kind of disastrous scenario I originally had in mind hehe).

By the way, I made some corrections and added a footnote in Chapter 2. Hopefully there aren't any careless mistakes left in there.

Bleach does not belong to me. I'm a regular kid in college with zero income! =p

**CHAPTER 3: A HEART TO PROTECT**

She held it with great caution, almost worried that her fingerprints would damage the fancy item she had received on that fateful day. She remembered all too well, the day she first set foot on the Kuchiki grounds and how the inhumane stare from the Elders stiffened her movement as her adoptive brother gracefully handed her…

The Kuchiki Blade of Senkai Gate.

It was not uncommon for nobles to have access to a private Senkai Gate, but it was a tradition that only those directly in line as heirs would receive the blades that allowed the opening of the gate from the Human Realm. In other words, Kuchiki Byakuya and Kuchiki Rukia were the only ones that were able to return to Seireitei by their own will via the Senkai Gate positioned rather strategically behind their chambers in the Kuchiki Manor. The Elders and other occupants in the household would have no choice but to request permission from the head of the clan or his sister to successfully travel to and fro across the dimensions. Without the blades, it was only possible to go on a one-way trip and remain trapped in the Human Realm until the authorities of Gotei 13 retrieve them.

Rukia stared at the dagger with fascination. It was in her possession for 50 years and yet not once had she ever needed it. Travels unrelated to her shinigami duties were rare and never without her Nii-sama. The hilt and sheath of the dagger was made of carved wood. In the midst of the complex traditional art etched delicately on the wooden hilt was the character "Kuchiki". The blade, on the other hand, was a thin, golden five-inch tall isosceles triangle, reflecting the grace and perfection of the clan.

Rukia vaguely remembered Byakuya's dagger was a few inches longer. Though still in a similar design, she thought it was strange and ironic that his had a wooden blade but a hilt and sheath of gold.

Exiting her chambers, she walked leisurely to the Kuchiki Senkai Gate. Four guards bowed in respect but Rukia thought she saw them frown, perhaps more bewildered than worried by her brother's absence.

"Open it," she commanded.

The guards exchanged glances but hurriedly replied nevertheless. "Yes, Rukia-sama."

She stepped into the portal of bright lights but intuition drove her to stop and turn around to look at the fading scenery of the Kuchiki Manor. Seconds passed by and she was about to resume walking when the face of Byakuya froze her movement. "A short trip, I presume?" His cool voice reached her ears, echoing from the opening of the gate.

"Yes." She wasn't sure if she was lying—she really had not thought her plan through. She wanted to visit Ichigo, and it was to escape the depressing wedding preparations. That was all she was sure of. Was he worried that she would disgrace the family by becoming a runaway bride?

She was still stoned at the spot when he reached out with his hand, as though asking her to return. She could see that he was searching for words. His facial features were hard with unspoken irritation. Palm up, he looked at her face, which was prettily aglow from the white lights, expecting a return of gesture.

But she didn't take his hand.

"You're home early tonight, Nii-sama." Such an awkward comment. She didn't know if she should feel guilty that she had specifically planned to leave before he made it back. Neither did she know when she started to keep track of his daily routine.

"We'll talk after you return from the real world. You said we should have time for…us." With that, he dropped his hand and turned away reluctantly. She was left to stare at his blurred silhouette as the gate closed behind him.

* * *

"Yo. Shouldn't you be trying on kimonos and fussing over the boring ceremonial preparations?" Ichigo remarked timely as Rukia entered his room through his window.

He didn't change a bit since her last visit during a mission months ago. She wondered if Karakura was an unchanging town. She would always be Kuchiki Rukia of the 13th division, working aside the substitute shinigami like there was no tomorrow. There was no fear of becoming someone she didn't want to be.

"That is exactly why I'm here, baka." She grinned. She liked the normalcy of their conversation, despite the content of it.

"Hah, you lazy ass," he smirked and finally averted his eyes from his homework to look at his comrade.

"Shut up, Ichigo. This could be the last…"

"I know." His tone was dead serious and Rukia surrendered—no point putting up a cheerful mask when he already knew. Every friend of hers knew too well that she loved being a shinigami.

She sank into his mattress and became silent. They looked thoughtfully at one another but no words came to the surface.

Ichigo was the one who broke the ice in the end. "Are you hiding from them?"

"Of course not! If I were to runaway I wouldn't have come to you! Besides, Nii-sama saw me leave."

"So you're willing to marry."

"Yes. I mean, no, but I'm not forced." Her voice was tiny.

"Hell right. Who's this Seiryu guy anyway!" He was losing his temper. "And why would Byakuya…"

"It's complicated, Ichigo. And keep your voice down! Yuzu and Karin would hear us."

"I thought he _loved_ you!" That was it. The straw that broke the camel's back. Both were rendered speechless.

_Well, now we know he doesn't, _she told herself. Her face must have fell, since Ichigo was looking at the petite shinigami apologetically.

"Maybe… We can go talk to him, you know. Knock some sense into the guy. I'm sure he doesn't want you to…"

"Ichigo, I went as far as begging him to make me stay! And then what? He said there's nothing in him, _nothing_ he could give me, at all!"

"He didn't know himself well enough."

"Oh, _right_." She managed to roll her eyes and stare at him incredulously. _But could he be right? If Byakuya Nii-sama was incapable of loving, what was that in the study? He had hugged her back, struggled to give her assurance. And at the Senkai Gate…_

The topic was dropped completely after a long and dry silence. Ichigo bent down on his desk and scribbled on his worksheets. Rukia walked around quite aimlessly and picked a random manga from his shelves. She returned to his bed and began reading, half-musing that the scenario felt so much like the time they spent together after their first encounter two years ago.

A loud sigh from the teen drew her attention and she looked up expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

"This marriage is pure crap, Rukia. You're not going to be happy." He threw his pen onto his desk and tilted his head to look at her.

She opened her mouth to retort, but instead caught a glimpse of the alarm clock sitting on the bedside table. In half an hour, Byakuya would shut himself in his room, away from the world, hopefully asleep, till breakfast in the morning. "It's late, Ichigo. I have to go. Nii-sama said he wanted to talk to me."

Ichigo raised a brow at her sudden change of mood. "Okay… so he's about to destroy your future but he decided to talk to you before doing it."

"Don't be a jerk, Strawberry. Mind your own business, won't you? …And I'll miss you, by the way."

He stared at her, clearly surprised.

"Don't look at me like I'm some zoo animal. I'm serious." She stood up and straightened her shinigami robes.

"So this is goodbye huh?" He watched her move towards her favourite spot of the room—the closet.

Reaching for her dagger, she said, "Yeah, I guess. Here's a farewell gift." Then, smiling mischievously, she stabbed his closet door. Almost immediately, a Senkai Gate assembled itself, taking up most of the area of Ichigo's wall.

Ichigo always hated what he called 'Soul Society technology'. To him, the light that shot rudely at his eyes from the opening of the gate was the most annoying thing ever. "How nostalgic," he mumbled sarcastically. He was going to watch her leave, again towards an unhappy ending, but there was nothing he could do. There she was, standing in the light, her shadow elongated across his floor. She was smiling at him, but he thought she looked like a broken doll. That smile was too fragile to be real.

"Rukia." This was his last chance to get her out of the mess—say something, anything! "Even if you are willing to give up on your fate and live your life as a cranky miserable noble lady, think of_ him_. How would he feel, being the one left behind?"

"I…don't know," she whispered in reply and the door was shut before he could see her turn away, walking lifelessly across inter-dimension space.

Now alone, Ichigo wheeled his chair to sit facing his closet. "Stupid midget. How am I supposed to mind my own business like you've never been here when I get to see that stupid hole every day?"

Indeed, she had left an evident mark by leaving a tear on his closet door. "Worst goodbye gift, ever!"

* * *

She inhaled in appreciation once exiting the gate. The reiatsu in the air refreshed her mind and body._ Wait, this reiatsu...?_ A little frantically, Rukia searched her surroundings for the man she came back for and finally spotted him under a nearby cherry blossom tree, sitting on a bench with his eyes closed. It was winter, thus the garden of the Kuchiki grounds didn't look inviting and the branches of the tree were bare, their shadow leaving dark stripes of black across his face and haori under the moonlight.

The guards were nowhere to be seen and Rukia concluded that he must have dismissed them. _Does that mean he was waiting for me?_

"Nii-sama." She was already standing in front of him, deciding to take the initiative since he didn't speak nor open his eyes.

"The Senkai Gate key you're holding… Do you know why your blade is different from mine?"

"Huh? No, I always thought it bizarre that yours is made of wood while mine is gold. Was it for…artistic reasons?"

"No. It was a political message. The gold symbolises the power of the leader of the clan. For my dagger, it wraps around the wood as a protector. It is essential to protect the blade, the heart of the dagger, even though it is blunt and breakable. The wooden parts represent my people, whose function is to be the fuel that provides and contributes to the family as a whole." Byakuya explained monotonously before opening his eyes to take in her slender form which stood within his arm's reach.

"Oh. But mine has a heart of gold protected by wood. What…" She paused in thought as an idea struck her. "Does it mean it is the clan's duty to support the leader in return?" She moved to sit beside him for it was getting awkward to be stared in the face.

"Correct. To be specific, it was meant to convey that the heart of the clan is the leader. Also, your blade is shorter to signify that you should not challenge the current head of the clan," he looked away before continuing, "though the wooden hilt suggests that you give me strength to stand. In short, you are responsible for my wellbeing." His voice was growing softer as he spoke.

Rukia was sure that Byakuya had never spoken so much to her before. It was shocking enough that he had waited to talk to her but the tiny hint of embarrassment she heard in his last sentence was unbelievable. "Nii-sama's wellbeing?"

"I do not expect that from you, Rukia. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. A tradition as trivial as this is not compulsory. You've been doing a good job so far, nevertheless." He was still not looking at her.

"I have?"

"Yes." He knew she was not satisfied with his answer but Kuchiki Byakuya was not someone who would elaborate on the effects a woman had on his mental and emotional state. "And you won't have to, once you're staying with the Seiryus. You can keep the dagger, seeing that there isn't a second candidate to take the place as my heir."

…**think of him. How would he feel, being the one left behind?**

"Byakuya…" She didn't know what caused her to call him by his name and reach out for his hand. She would blame the Strawberry later for this. She placed her hand on his, feeling the warmth on the surface of the back of his hand. He looked up at her in surprise, almost removing his hand. She tightened her hold on his hand as the memory of him standing at the gate as she left for the Human Realm resurfaced. He had reached out for her. Perhaps he needed her more than he was willing to admit.

"I'll keep the dagger," she said softly. "I think I would like to remember that I have you as my heart and that you have me as yours to protect too." She stared hard at their touching hands, afraid to meet his eyes as brave words left her mouth by instinct.

Without a word he flipped his hand over to hold hers in his palm. Then, using his free hand he covered it, feeling her small fingers trapped by his larger ones. She shifted to sit closer to him and he let her. He looked at her and noticed that she looked tired and was probably cold in the night air. Amusingly, however, she was blushing and avoiding eye contact. He thought it was an endearing reaction and that the redness contrasted well with her pale cheeks. She was still wearing her shinigami uniform, complete with Sode no Shirayuki at her side, even though she was no longer a part of Goten 13. It was a wise move, he decided. After all, it was not safe to be unarmed in the human world.

Moments later when she leaned her head against his shoulder, he stole one more glance at her only to find her peacefully asleep. He smiled at her sleeping face and gently, he kissed her on the forehead.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: 21 Days!

* * *

**YEAH, THIS CHAPTER DIDN'T TURN OUT TO BE AS EPIC AS I WANTED IT TO BE, BUT I TRIED MY BEST TO KEEP THE COUPLE IN CHARACTER. ANYWAY, I EXPECT BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE RESPONSE TO THIS FIC, ACTUALLY. PLEASE REVIEW AFTER READING. I'M ESPECIALLY THANKFUL TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED THIS STORY SINCE THE PROLOGUE =]**


	5. Chapter 4

Hope you haven't got tired of waiting! College is getting more hectic by the second for me (sigh) and had quite a bit of writer's block earlier. Anyway, Shishio finally makes an appearance in this fanfic! It is not my intention to make you hate him, really. And he's a replication of my real life once-upon-a-time...er...subject of admiration. But of course I added some anime magic to his appearance hehe. And though I made use of the chorus of the song 'Written in the Stars', this is not a songfic! So no worries, people out there who are anti-lyric-oriented-story.

Enjoy.

**CHAPTER 4: THE BEST OF YOU AND ME IN THE SHORTEST OF TIME**

When she awoke, she was in his arms. She knew that he was with her the moment the tender light hit her through papery windows and warmed her face. The air smelled faintly of cinnamon and the steady stream of suppressed reiatsu from him generously surrounded her. His arms were loosely placed around her waist and she leaned back to have her back pressed against his chest. He was probably awake too, she thought, and her suspicions were confirmed when he shifted slightly and proceeded to remove the lump of blanket between their bodies as to allow her to come closer to him.

She would probably smell of him for the rest of the day. She smiled, imagining how her colleagues would react if she were to report to work in the 13th division while carrying his scent and reiatsu. Those who were experienced enough would recognise the intimidating reiatsu within a three-metre radius around her.

She was on his futon, she noted embarrassingly. He had carried her from the gardens last night and allowed her to sleep in his room—something so out of her Nii-sama's character. She remembered his face looking down at her as she stuttered and asked to be placed back on the ground. She must have also apologised, out of habit, for troubling him. "Sleep. Don't talk," he told her and she couldn't remember when exactly did she drifted off to slumber again.

Now, to Rukia, nothing could top the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction of having your wish fulfilled, first thing in the day. She didn't know she wanted to feel this way, but she would surely long to… in mornings to come.

"You've improved in subconsciously controlling your reiatsu," he said suddenly, still holding her close to himself. Rukia knew what he was talking about—indeed, she had succeeded in lowering her reiatsu to the minimum, even when asleep.

"Hmm. Good morning…" she hesitated, "Nii-sama."

As a reply he tightened his hold and buried his face in her hair. Seconds passed and he added, "I suppose, I'm glad that Renji wouldn't be able to detect your scent and the rest of my day would be spent in peace."

She giggled and turned to look at him. What she saw was something she wouldn't forget for the rest of her life. He had the tiniest smile and his gray eyes were still hazed from sleep. Long strands of black fell across part of his face; the Kenseikan obviously missing; and the stone-like emotionless expression was gone. His face was mere inches away from hers and she felt entranced by it. But before she could stare any longer, he landed a quick kiss on her cheek and then pulled her into a full embrace. They both knew she was blushing furiously.

* * *

Later that day, Rukia was ushered into an elaborately decorated room. The aroma of tea leaves filled her nostrils as she took in her surroundings—smooth and dark wooden furniture, the cool white marble floor, concrete walls that were a mysterious shade of soothing light green, and a huge window that opened up to a view of lush rainforest. She knew she was far from home, but she had never imagined such… odd architecture in any part of Soul Society. Positioned at the very edge of the Northern Forest of Seireitei, the Seiryus' mansion held much resemblance with modern buildings in the Human Realm, she realised. _They are the builders of the city, after all._ Her eyes soon landed on a detailed classical tea set—something supposedly normal but obviously out of place—sitting on the table that served as the centre of the private meeting room. She felt like the tea pot—visible and out-of-place. Her bright purple yukata seemed to emphasize that.

On a chair at the table sat the one and only Seiryu Shishio. Dressed in a dead shade of green, his posture was relaxed. He sat leisurely with an air of ignorance and laziness. Then he looked up at her, startled, his hand still holding the cup he had been sipping from. Rukia's polite smile in greeting quickly turned to one of amusement as his face mercilessly betrayed embarrassment.

"Ah, you must forgive me. I was not informed of your arrival… I spaced out a little and the tea was good, so…" he flashed a genuine smile, a hint of shyness in his eyes. Rukia returned the gesture and proceeded to sit with him. She watched his face. He had ruffled, shoulder length chocolate hair that settled on his head, a sweeping fringe across his forehead, and a set of honey eyes. He seemed to have fallen into deep contemplation as his tanned face conveyed extreme boredom, until she was seated with hands neatly folded on her lap. The word 'casual' danced in Rukia's mind as she tried to describe this man with a one-word definition.

"Oh I should have introduced myself. And I didn't properly address you at all, did I? Yet earlier I was telling myself I should do something about my inability to keep up with the endless rules of nobility…" he mumbled under his breath and finally looked her square in the eye. "Kuchiki-san, right? Is that how you would like to be called?"

"Rukia would do." _How odd, not a single word about the engagement_.

"It's my pleasure to meet you in person, Rukia-san. I must say, you have such extraordinary reiatsu! I don't personally know many shinigamis, but I've never come across anything like this. It is… very pleasant… subtle, yet powerful."

Rukia couldn't help chuckling at the comment.

"Call me whatever you want, by the way. And what's so funny?" He gave her a faked irritated expression.

"I'm afraid my reiatsu is not as extraordinary as you believed it to be. What you feel now is a mixture of my own and my Nii-sama's, Shishio-sama." She was sure that he twitched at the use of honorifics after his name.

"I see," he replied lamely, and once again he was immersed in faraway thoughts she could not foresee.

She too, started drinking tea and began to enjoy the peaceful moment between two strangers.

"The two of you must be very close." His baritone voice did not break the tranquility but in fact blended in effortlessly. His follow-up to their conversation was careless; nevertheless at her reluctance to reply, he studied her curiously. "I was talking about you and your brother, Kuchiki Byakuya. You must have been in his presence for a fair amount of time for his scent to stick on you."

"Yes, I was with Nii-sama in the morning," she answered awkwardly.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" She repeated the sound on a higher pitch. It was a question about the question.

"The Head of Kuchiki doesn't look like the social-friendly type, or so I've heard." He grinned, hoping for an entertaining response from the lady sitting across the table.

"He can be quite…selective when it comes to being friendly," she had a triumphant look as she continued, "and his presence is always reassuring."

"Just like his reiatsu."

She nodded in confirmation.

"Kuchiki Byakuya, huh? Didn't know he was such a protective brother."

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm no shinigami but the amount of his reiatsu on you is almost overpowering. Not strong, but very much there. It's like he smeared it on you, deliberately."

Rukia was speechless. And suddenly, she took the opportunity to get down to business. "For _you_ are a dangerous man, Shishio-sama. You're famous and influential. A random act from you could topple Seireitei. It was probably a good idea to remind you of Nii-sama's concern about my affairs."

"I don't understand, Rukia-san. I'm a man who likes tea and staring out to nothingness. Dangerous?" He smirked as he spoke, intrigued by the twist of the conversation.

"You have a history of eccentric behaviour. The most recent example would be your decision to retire prematurely and give up on your family business. You know its implications, don't you?"

"I can tell that you don't quite like me, Rukia-san... The wedding's going to be an eyelash in the eye for you, is it not?"

"You… didn't answer my question," she paused, "and what do you mean by eyelash…"

"It's going to be a pain… something that has to be washed away with tears."

"To me, the most important issue is the building material crisis that will surely ensue if you are reckless enough to leave Seireitei. There's not much outside, Shishio-sama. I've seen it all."

"Yes, I've heard of your Rukongai origins. No offence, sweetheart," he smiled at her again, "anyway, I'm not out for adventure and experience. What I want is…freedom. I want the ability to sense and feel emotions beyond those goddamn walls."

"Pardon me, but you are being rather selfish."

He regarded her seriously for a moment. Then, he broke eye contact to look out of the window. Softly, he spoke, "Maybe. My life was planned well ahead even before I was born. I want to break free. I don't want my children to suffer as I did."

"Suffer? You're not the only…"

"You are thinking about Kuchiki Byakuya."

She was silent. He knew he was right.

"I don't want to be anything like him, Rukia-san."

"I can tell."

He poured her tea and she stared at her own reflection in the cup she held with both hands. But she felt her right hand being pried away and ended up in his.

"I enjoyed our conversation, even though it has become clear to me that your intention here is to talk me out of retirement. I'm a bit surprised, you see, I thought you were going to tell me that we should terminate the engagement for the sake of our happiness and blah!" His eyes twinkled and she thought, at that moment, he was a charming man. _Charming, but stubborn._

She had nothing left to say.

"So… Will you marry me?"

She stared at him, shocked beyond words. It was ironic that the topic of marriage seemed horribly ridiculous all the sudden for a bride-to-be. She had foolishly thought the conversation would end with the inconclusive discussion on the Seiryus' retirement. "Huh… What?"

"I like you," he added mischievously.

"Nii-sama…" her breath quickened as she realised she was about to voice her rejection out of honesty. The words had poured out of her heart but were blocked right before they escaped her mouth. Her mind raced, a fresh memory of her morning wish-come-true replayed in her mind.

"**I desperately want to keep you, Rukia."**

"**Please do so," she murmured in his ear, her cheek resting on his shoulder blade.**

"**I'll try. Go along with the wedding preparations for the time being."**

"**Okay."**

"**You'll meet Seiryu Shishio in the afternoon. I heard from the Elders. Your homework for the day," his tone changed to one of mild teasing, "is to convince him to stay in Seireitei, regardless of the wedding plan."**

"**I'll try," she mimicked. "You should get ready for work now, Nii-sama."**

"**Yes, and one more thing, Rukia. I hate it when you call me that."**

"Byakuya-sama expects me to be home soon, Shishio-sama. I must take my leave. And I'm sure you're aware that we both have no say in this marriage arrangement at this point. You have already agreed to the engagement, and it would be considered a dishonour to our families if you were to go against your word. Plus, the unlikely decision to call off the wedding on my behalf lies with the Kuchiki Elders. Your question is overdue and redundant."

"I have no intention of going against my word, Rukia-san. And I'm sure your Byakuya_-Nii_-sama is doing his best to prevent the wedding anyway, no?" His eyes were still twinkling, but with less vigor, shining in a manner that reminded her of dying stars.

* * *

_Is it written in the stars?_

_Are we paying for some crime?_

_Is that all that we are good for?_

_Just a stretch of mortal time!*_

* * *

"To the manor?" Renji was a little baffled by his Taicho's personal request.

"Yes, now."

"Why is it necessary to notify her immediately? Are there…complications to this new mission?" Renji could already guess: the mission is extraordinary, most probably a long one. He just hoped that it didn't mean that Byakuya himself didn't expect to return, not unscathed, at least.

"Abarai, be quick and return to the office after the message is delivered. I believe the new recruits are desperately in need of training. I'm leaving now."

"So soon? What did Yamamoto Sou-taicho say? Are you the only captain assigned? What could possibly be so important that lieutenants and seated officers aren't informed at all?"

"Renji." Byakuya shot a warning look at his right hand man, getting up from his seat to leave the barracks.

"Taicho…" Renji suppressed the urge to sigh loudly and slump back into his chair, and so, remaining upright, he asked, "Is there anything else that you would like to tell Rukia? If it's a long term mission, she could get quite worried. You should have seen her back when…."

"No. And I would like you to shun-po. A banquet…a celebration of the engagement will soon take place tonight and the manor will be heavily guarded. A private event as such will not tolerate the uninvited, even though you're following my orders."

Renji had hoped that Byakuya would flinch at 'celebration' but was disappointed by the unbroken flow of words spoken by the man who was going on an unknown mission, for an unknown duration.

* * *

He wasn't downright insensitive. He could see, at the back of his mind, what Renji was picturing—a worried young woman, wandering the 6th division barracks, awaiting his own miraculous entrance. Byakuya could see it, how she paced his office and paused now and then to look at his lifeless items on the desk and maybe the shelves… Maybe she was trying to decide if he would ever use them again. And hopefully, she arrived at the conclusion that he was infallible and that her worry stemmed from a complex of natural human reaction and…love.

That night, carrying her broken zanpakutou, with a materialized Senbonzakura by his side, he had his breath taken away at the sight of her. She reminded him of a snow fairy, beautiful but exhausted and needed warmth, her face half-hidden by his overdue paperwork as she slept with her head on his desk. Her usual sharpness then melted, smoldered by brimming tears and disappointment, ironically mirroring the state of the broken Sode no Shirayuki, when she finally saw him. It was cruel of him to keep the truth from her, but he couldn't help feeling comforted that she did not give up on him. The idea of her, in his office, because of his absence, triggered a series of possessive thoughts.

If a spirit like her has to be contained, then he would build walls to surround her, for the thought of others trapping her in that manner would kill him. He would dedicate himself to keeping her, the way he would never for his inherited property.

If she were to long for freedom outside his kingdom, he would let her go, but beforehand, he would make sure that she would eventually return. He wanted her to know what it was like to love being his, the way he knew what it was like to love owning her. He wanted to chain her to himself.

And he chose to believe that the chain has been firmly attached to both of them by now. _The impending marriage will not break it_, he reassured himself. This was the beginning of their love, and the process had been short and sweet so far. But time and distance should never be overlooked. He couldn't help but feel that his mission would become the breaking point that he feared.

* * *

_For some God's experiment,_

_In which we have no say;_

_In which we're given paradise;_

_But only for a day.*_

* * *

*The song used is Written in the Stars by Elton John and LeAnn Rimes. Check out the full lyrics and listen to the song, if you're interested. I thought they were quite well-written and fitted the mood of this chapter.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: 20 Days!

* * *

**AS USUAL, I'M HERE AS A NAGGING ANNOYING AUTHOR WHO TIRELESSLY REMIND YOU GUYS TO REVIEW! I'M DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. YEAH.  
SOMETIMES DURING A WRITER'S BLOCK, ONE WOULD THINK, "WHAT'S THE POINT OF WRITING ALL THIS IMAGINARY INFO?" AFTER ALL, THE JOY OF READING ALWAYS BEATS THE EFFORT OF WRITING.  
REVIEWS KEEP ME GOING, AND I DO LOVE WRITING, BUT NOT ALWAYS WITHOUT REWARDS =|**_  
_  
**=) HOPE TO HEAR FROM MORE OF YOU SOON.**_  
_


	6. Chapter 5

Hi all, it's been a while. And I know this chapter isn't very juicy, but I would hate to keep you waiting for too long. So here's chapter 5! =]

**CHAPTER 5: PIECES OF ME**

Another week zoomed past and Byakuya was still not home. Renji said the details of the mission were too vague and that there was nothing else he could tell her. 'Taicho will be fine for sure'. That didn't sound all too depressing, did it? But Rukia understood Shinigami language well enough to realise that a top secret mission was never short and simple. Perhaps Renji too, was worried that the wedding would take place before Byakuya's return.

She was anything but herself during his absence. At her tenth kimono fitting session she was momentarily proud that she had actually paid attention to the tailors and ladies-in-waiting. "Oh yes, this one is definitely better than the last one," she heard herself say. A quick look at the mirror, she was confident enough to admit that she looked quite elegant. _Elegance…the precisions of his attacks and the grace in style of fighting…_ She took the liberty to imagine whatever battle he was currently engaged in. Nodding absentmindedly at a maid, she pushed the thought of him falling, just a tidbit clumsily to the ground as all elegance failed him and blood spattered from his mouth. _I wonder if he would really mind falling from grace? _

"For your safety, I don't." He didn't say that to her, but she could almost picture him mouthing those words to her. Her train of thought abruptly stopped and she was once again standing in the wide fitting room in the manor.

And yet just seconds ago she prided herself for not thinking about him. _How shameful!_

"Do you think he'll like this?" she thought out loud, instinctively. And from the corner of her eye she saw a young maid turn towards her, alarmed, and hurried to her front with a face that seemed to be fishing the most appropriate answer from a sea of formalities and hypocrisy.

"Certainly, Rukia-sama. You're beautiful in it."

"Thank you," she accepted the useless piece of compliment with a smile. She knew that her question was very much misunderstood, but she didn't blame the girl. How was she to know that the Rukia couldn't care less about her fiancé's taste in fashion?

_I never understood what he liked or disliked, after all these years._

"**Nii-sama, why do you like calligraphy so much?"**

"**I don't."**

"**Then why…"**

"**It's a beneficial pastime. It sharpens one's concentration."**

"**Oh. But isn't there anything you would like to do instead? You've been spending hours in this room and you've written a lot already." She stared hard at him. She wasn't sure, but she thought she was not asking out of curiousity but hope—hope that he would stop and spend more time with her instead.**

"**No." Then he looked at her suspiciously. "Is there a problem, Rukia?"**

**She shook her head in response. "Just wondering if I'm bothering you."**

"**I like the company," he said. **

"Rukia-sama, have you decided? Or would you like to continue in the morning tomorrow? There are still a number of kimonos you haven't tried."

"Ah, it's time for dinner, isn't it? I'll pick this one," she pointed at the complicated garment she was wearing, "for now." Smiling bitterly she turned away from the maid to look at her reflection in the mirror once more. She imagined the smooth glass falling into a million pieces, and her heart went along with it.

_If each piece is a part of our story, Byakuya, I'll pick them all up. One by one, even if it cuts my hand. I'll never forget, no matter what happens next._

_

* * *

_

The servants seemed a lot happier these days, she noted. It was either due to their master's absence or the positive atmosphere of wedding preparations. Both possibilities were equally depressing to Rukia, anyway. Sitting in the dining hall alone, she recalled the ridiculous moments during the banquet that occurred shortly after her meeting with Renji. The guests were merry and blabbered a lot. She didn't care to understand much of what they were saying, only responding when they directed a congratulatory speech at her.

She was… pleasantly surprised to see Shishio there. She did not expect to see him twice in a day, and as far as she knew, he was the only sane being other than herself present at the banquet.

"**You…are alone." His tone was flat, but there was a hint of curiousity.**

"**That's a funny thing to say in a hall full of people," she retorted.**

**He rolled his eyes and as though stating the obvious, he said, "he's not here."**

"**I am aware."**

"**Aren't he worried that I'll sweep you off your feet and you'll eventually fall madly in love with me?"**

"**Nii-sama is on a mission, Shishio-sama. He **_**had**_** to leave." Rukia shifted uneasily in her seat, staring down at her plate of food. **

**But the man sitting across the table wouldn't let her go easily. "All this madness! Such an extraordinary party just for our impending union. I didn't want to come at first, you know. But then I changed my mind at the very last minute, that's why you weren't told…Nevertheless you seemed quite happy to have my company, no?"**

"**You speak too much. But yes, I'm glad to have someone who communicates without pretense. It is a relief," she answered emotionlessly.**

"**Hmm. Aren't you gonna ask me why I decided to come?"**

**She looked up at him and sighed. "Why, Shishio-sama?"**

**His eyes twinkled. "I was hoping to see the oh-so-great Kuchiki-sama," he paused to gauge her reaction, but she didn't give any, "so that I can learn what it takes to make you like me."**

**At that she dropped her chopsticks. "You… you are…"**

"**Unbelievable? Believe me, I know." He grinned at her then, leaving her speechless.**

Rukia swallowed at the memory, subconsciously tightening her hold on the chopsticks as she ate her dinner in silence. She decided that once she was finished with dinner, she would return to her room to write.

A letter to Kuchiki Byakuya.

There was no way to send the letter to him under normal circumstances—she needed a hell butterfly to do the job, but she was no longer a shinigami. Not to mention that it was impossible to reach him when nobody knew where he was. Yet she had to do it. She could pass him the letter when he comes home. She could keep it for the rest of eternity if she felt like it.

_I have to ask you, Byakuya-sama. Why am I excused from Gotei 13 without any penalties? I've always thought that there are no exceptions when it comes to shinigami retirement… Is this what it means to be noble? It makes me guilty, more so when you're not around. I don't think I deserve to be treated differently and this becomes obvious without you, who made me who I am today. Just last night, I had a dream about being locked away, and there was Soi Fon taicho, saying, 'no one gets to leave Seireitei' before turning away and leaving me behind bars. Oh, I have to apologise, by the way. I woke up in your bed since I crept into your room…without your permission. The servants didn't know, I made your bed and cleaned the room so they can't tell the difference. You might reprimand me for this, but the entire ordeal of sneaking out at night to get to your room was a rather interesting and adventurous thing to do. _

_The wedding preparations peaked recently. It's tiring. Yukina-sama said the invitations have been sent out. I'm…scared. Life slowed down miserably but everything concerning the wedding sped up. Ichigo contacted me a while ago, saying that his family and the others in the Human World have received the invitations too. And that, was really surprising._

_Seiryu Shishio is an unpredictable man. Sometimes he reminds me of Urahara. He knows, Byakuya-sama, about us. And he is not keen on cancelling the plans of retirement. He makes me miss you, somehow. Perhaps intentionally. He isn't repelled by the idea of arranged marriage at all. It's to be expected of a noble, I guess?_

_I wanted to ask why you left so suddenly and where you are, but I know asking would be fruitless, even if this letter was sent to you. Be safe. _

_Love, Rukia. _

_

* * *

_

Countdown to the wedding: 13 Days!

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NEXT:

A KISS THAT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE.

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**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. I'LL TRY MY BEST TO UPDATE SOON!**_  
_


	7. Chapter 6

(Drumroll) Here's my speedy update! =] Hahah I knew Chapter 5 was too short for you guys and this was meant to be the later half of that chapter. But what's done is done so...

Anyway, special thanks to those who reviewed. I'm quite surprised that some of the readers became so interested in Shishio, which is a really good thing, because he's gonna appear quite often from now on. And my, he did such reckless things sometimes! (Therefore please be mentally prepared.)

Tiny disclaimer: I do not own Bleach!

Enjoy Chapter 6, people! And do review after that. =)

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**CHAPTER 6: DANDELIONS**

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**

"**I'll take my leave now, Nii-sama. Goodnight."**

"**Hnn." He didn't look up from his paperwork. He had his back to her but Rukia could see that his hands skillfully moved across the paper as he wrote with ease. He had been in his study for two hours after dinner and she had paid him a meaningless visit due to boredom. Ironically what surrounded her brother was always boredom, so that didn't help much.**

**She stood up from her kneeling position, preparing to leave, but Byakuya spoke again.**

"**Don't cry anymore, Rukia."**

_**Don't cry anymore? What was that supposed to… Oh no. He heard me? He knew after all?**_

"**He is not coming back and you have shouldered enough of the blame and pain, so stop crying yourself to sleep," he continued monotonously.**

**Shiba Kaien was dead. His tears and blood were all over her and she imprinted the memories of his life and death in her mind, never escaping from them. "I…am sorry," she swallowed, "I didn't mean to wake you up at night."**

"**No," he turned his head just enough to see her silhouette in the dimly lit study, "I, am sorry." **_**You loved him, didn't you?**_

**Then again, even if she had heard his soundless question, he wouldn't want to hear her answer, for it was cruel to know: he understood the pain of losing someone precious and he wouldn't want to know if she was suffering as much as he did. Furthermore, what good was it to know that his new chance at love was so horrendously stomped over by the death of another?**

* * *

Her thoughts scattered like his favourite cherry blossoms. But he always knew where the petals were going. He was in control. Her directionless thoughts however, were like weak dandelions in the air, having nowhere to go to, and it would only land by a bleak chance. Most of them would float away to nothingness, forever gone. She struggled to keep them, not wanting to lose any single piece of memory between herself and the man who was missing in action. Where'd you go? Where'd you go?

_Well, at least no matter how much I might eventually forget, I will always know that I love him.  
_

* * *

He silently entered his room and immediately spotted her asleep on his futon. Crouching down next to her just so to look at her sleeping face, he smoothened her ruffled raven hair and tucked a stray strand behind her ear. "What are you doing here, Rukia?" His voice was soft, but he woke her up nevertheless.

"Byakuya…sama?" Her eyes flew open and she struggled to sit up. "You came back!"

He gave her the rarest smile, one that was more noticeable than the one she saw that fateful morning.

"I missed you." She stated plainly, her head hung low in what he decided was shyness.

He leaned forward for a hug, encouraging her to do the same. She was soon in a gentle embrace, his hand brushing her hair carelessly. He didn't say anything.

But there was no warmth.

She couldn't feel his breath on her neck.

She didn't get the comfort she needed. How strange.

She pulled at his robes and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"But…"

"Hmm?"

Then realisation hit her. "You…are not real."

Anytime soon, she would wake up from this nightmare in disguise and she would be alone in his room, breathing in the cold air that had run out of his scent over the days.

Her imaginary Byakuya gave her an apologetic look. "I thought I could ease your pain, just temporarily."

How could he? How could he do this to her? Coming into her dreams just to make things worse! Yet she knew she was putting the blame on him because it was easier than accepting the truth that there was nothing she could do to stop missing him.

"You are not real!" She exclaimed harshly. "You…left me! So go ahead and leave now!"

He looked down at the crying beauty in his arms. "You don't mean that." Indeed, she still had her fingers fisted in his clothes and her head was buried in his chest. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Don't cry anymore, Rukia," he said, and that was the last thing she heard before morning came and she woke up with tear streaks on her face.

* * *

"Nice to meet you again, Shishio-sama." She bowed politely. This time, they were in the Kuchiki manor.

"Uhhuh. You sure don't look as excited as you sound. Slept well?"

"No," she replied honestly. She was either too tired to lie or just tired of lying when lies didn't make a difference.

"Ah. I'm guessing that he's not back yet, hmm? Oh dear, time's running out and your savior is nowhere to be seen… What should we do?" He gave her a white-teeth smile, flashy, but his eyes convinced her that it was genuine.

What is he, really? She couldn't read him. Half-annoyed, she glared at him.

He was stirring his cup of human beverage—coffee, specially requested and brewed with care in the Kuchiki kitchen. "Rukia-san, is marrying me such a bad idea?"

She looked at him as he waited patiently for an answer, trying to trace a sense of humour in his words, but abruptly gave up since the pressure of staring at each other was making her uncomfortable. Since honesty is in the house today she might as well answer as truthfully as the situation allows. "No, you are more than I expected…of an arranged marriage."

"But?"

She hesitated, and finally said, "You already know."

His face fell a little. Her reply was not as he expected. Yes, she was right. He knew, but he still wanted to hear a direct confession from her. _The Kuchikis are amusing, aren't they?_ "Oh well…" he responded with a bored tone, "This is where the conversation dies. I was hoping for more…interesting information."

"Why bother when you are about to leave Seireitei?" She stood up from her seat and walked to the sliding doors that opened to her brother's koi pond.

He laughed lightly and proceeded to stand as well. "It's because, strangely enough, I was expecting you to say something utterly moving and change my mind! It's silly I know, 'cause I don't really _want_ to change my mind…" _You love him, don't you?_

She was once again rendered speechless. Quickly regaining composure she spoke again, "So you do have a guilty conscience."

"How sarcastic of you," his eyes shone with happiness, but why, she couldn't understand. "I've never had so much fun talking to anyone before."

"Oh I wonder why. Could it be that your personality is just too obnoxious?"

"Maybe?" He put on a thoughtful face, then suddenly laughing again, he closed the distance between them by leaning against the door, staying right next to her. "By the way, when you said I'm a lot better than you expected of an arranged marriage, I suppose you mean you would have settled for me have it not been because you…and Kuchiki Bya…"

_What's his problem, seriously!_ "Are you saying that you're not the least offended by the fact that you are my second choice?" She interrupted him sharply. She didn't mean what she said, but that was her reflective response to his invasion of privacy.

Unexpectedly he grabbed her hand and with almost crushing strength, he held it tightly in his own. "No, sweetie. That's not it." The light in his eyes had burnt away, leaving behind a bland shade of brown. "I was just trying to see, to…measure, how much I mean to you."

She flinched in pain, "Let go." She was taken aback by the sudden change of mood but she was a fighter. 'Whatever comes out of the blue will be accepted and countered', that was how she was trained. He didn't budge and she refused to panic and lose her temper. "You're hurting me."

"That's my line." And with that, he leaned down and crushed his lips against hers. Rukia squeaked and struggled to get away but he had positioned himself in front of her and trapped her in an embrace.

She didn't know what to think or feel. But somehow, at the contact, she knew suddenly, that the man kissing her was as sorrowful as herself. Neither enjoyed the kiss, but for that short moment, there was understanding and the sharing of pain between two lonely souls. There was bitterness complemented by the scent of coffee. _This man…is coffee._ Perhaps a little addictive and refreshing, but he was not something substantial in her life. She couldn't stomach him.

A sudden burst of reiatsu forced him to loosen his hold on her. "Wha…"

"That was very improper, Shishio-sama." Rukia stepped away from his tall figure, her cheeks aflame but her entire being engulfed by her cold reiatsu. Such was the power of the wielder of Sode no Shirayuki.

"I apologise." He gave her a smile and looked out to the pond. "But I think it was worth it." _That could have been my only chance to land a finger on you without being slaughtered by your dearest brother, after all._

Seeing that he wasn't making any further advances her reiatsu was once again tapped away and stored securely. Briskly she stepped to his front again, "I have to do this before I forgive you."

And a loud slap was delivered across his left cheek.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: 12 Days! 

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COMING SOON:

RUNAWAY BRIDE?

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**ALRIGHT, IT'S A PITY BYAKUYA DIDN'T MAKE A REAL APPEARANCE IN THIS CHAPTER. DON'T WORRY THOUGH, HE WON'T BE MISSING IN ACTION FOREVER. I'M CURRENTLY TRYING TO DECIDE IF HE SHOULD GET HOME BEFORE THE WEDDING OR...**

**SUGGESTIONS?**

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SPECIALS (a.k.a I JUST HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!)**  
**

Most Consistent Reviewer - _vicky73_

Loyal Followers - _L_, _MeoSua_ and _vicky73 _

Most Flattering Reviewers - _lemonorangevanilladrops_ and _roll model_

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**REVIEWS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED._  
_**


	8. Chapter 7

I spent quite something considering how the story should go from now on. And I finally made up my mind last night and tada! Chapter 7! For those who are awaiting Shishio's charm will be a lil' disappointed, I suppose. He'll be back some other time ya?

By the way, thank you for reviewing and adding me to your alerts =) A heads-up for those interested: I wrote a one-shot recently, a Gin/Ran fic based on the manga's current events. Anyhow...

Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters do not belong to me.

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CHAPTER 7: LIGHT ON**

Another grueling day for the bride-to-be. More kimono fitting sessions. More fabric selection and supervision of hall decorations… Guest-confirmation and additional invitations and ceremonial briefings and thank-you notes and congratulatory letters and occasional visits to relatives she didn't know she had. There were no constant faces, as everyone was a stranger to her. She had been up and about since dawn, her dark circles eminent on her face.

Byakuya's futon no longer eased her to sleep. She didn't remember falling asleep the night before, nor did she realise she was awake until a servant came looking for her. Oh, the rumours! Some wonder why the young lady of Kuchiki spent the night in her brother's room. Candle light was always seen shining through the windows of the Kuchiki Lord's bedroom. The maids gossiped about her state of mental health—more were noticing her absentmindedness and her mechanical speech. What had happened to the only source of liveliness in the noble clan?

But of course, some, especially those who loved their lady dearly romanticised the scenario. "She left the light on for the Lord's return!" "Perhaps she wanted to see him before the wedding…it seems…Kuchiki-sama is not coming back…" "Hush! The elders would be angered…" "He would be happy to know she missed…" "Ah, sibling love eh?" "Maybe more than that…"

Rukia had walked pass his door for the sixth time this day. Her errands concerning the upcoming nuptials had her pacing across opposite wings of the buildings. Strange, it was like he never lived there. No reaitsu, no scent. She couldn't feel the steady breathing of Senbonzakura's energy flow.

"Tea is served, Rukia-sama."

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Should I cancel tonight's dinner again, Rukia-sama?"

Rukia nodded silently.

Then, she heard slow footsteps rumbled towards her, and a startling voice followed, "That's certainly not a healthy way to live. Child, this isn't Rukongai."

"Yukina-sama, it's been a while. How are you?"

"I don't need your concern, Rukia. I'm here to tell you that, tonight, you will not eat alone (not that you were eating at all the past few days), for the Elders have decided to hold a meeting. Two weeks without any decisions made in the household just won't do."

"A dinner with the Elders, without Nii-sama?"

"Precisely."

"I…" _I miss him. I don't want to make any decisions for him. I want to tell you that I am not marrying._ "This is ridiculous!"

Yukina beamed at her, "Most things about nobles are. For instance, I think it ridiculous for Kuchiki-sama to adopt you…"

Rukia gasped in surprise. All along, she thought Yukina was on _her_ side!

"…when he knew he would fall in love with you."

* * *

Well, at least the food was exceptionally good. Rukia stared dumbly at the talking men and whispering women around her. They looked like they were discussing something highly important but beyond her comprehension. Fantastic this, beautiful that… Plan this soon and do that quick… Report this and remember that?

Rukia drowned in the droning voices, her eyes glazed with boredom.

"Rukia, has the Seiryu clan indicated their slightest intention of staying in Seireitei?"

"No," she answered firmly, barely noting how it was a tragedy of her life.

"The wedding has lost its purpose then," a man spoke solemnly.

Rukia perked her voice just enough to show her curiousity, "And hence there are plans to call it off?"

"No, no, silly girl. Why waste our resources? We have planned this far and so much has been spent on your fairytale wedding!" Rukia could only wince at the irony.

Another chimed in, "You being with Seiryu Shishio will at least retain some hope of changing their minds. Furthermore, if Kuchiki-sama fails to return…"

"What are you talking about?" Yukina managed to lend a sane voice in the conversation.

"Well, isn't it obvious to you? The Seiryus will be our trump card if we were unfortunate enough to be left without a leader….who has not yet produced an heir!"

"True. It is important to plan ahead and take precaution at times like this."

Rukia sank her heart in total numbness. "You can't…"

Someone cleared his throat and stated matter-of-factly, "Kuchiki-sama gave us great stability and wealth with his supreme leadership, but when all comes down to the succession of power…"

"…he left us nothing but a replication of his wife from Rukongai," a voice from the far corner of the hall finished.

Rukia didn't bother to speak for herself. Even Yukina was silent.

"It is proposed that by joining clans with the Seiryus and eventually providing a new heir, the glory of the Kuchiki clan can be rebuilt, though unavoidably diminished for the time being."

"I agree! Such a pity though… I expected a pure bloodline…"

"Kuchiki-sama has been stubborn ever since Lady Hisana…"

By the time Rukia came to her senses and knocked herself out of her trance, she realised that she was crying.

* * *

At night she dragged herself into his room again, then ceremoniously falling face-down on the futon with a loud thump. _Five days to the wedding... Someone should just kill me now._

A soft thud—the landing of feet—sounded nearby and she unwillingly turned her head towards the opened window.

"Renji," she acknowledged, and immediately after she was greeted with another intrusion. "Ichigo, what are the two of you doing here?"

"Knocked down a few guards out there, hope you don't mind," Renji spoke first.

"I was expecting more of a challenge breaking into your place, you know," Ichigo smirked.

"For the moment, only ordinary guards are patrolling the manor. The special squads follow specific orders from Nii-sama and Nii-sama _only_." Rukia turned away, closed her eyes and prepared to ignore the two for the rest of the night.

"Your…serenity is just freaking us out, Rukia. Five days!" Ichigo walked briskly towards her limp figure on the futon, stopping right next to her.

"Rukia, I know Taicho's not back and… we have to do something…" Renji said with seriousness. "Before it's too late we've got to hide you until the wedding day is over, just to buy some time."

Rukia sat up in annoyance. "Why is everyone talking like he's never coming back? He said he would do something about the wedding… He will!"

"Rukia…" Ichigo patted her shoulder, a sad smile on his face. "We believe him too. But we don't want to take the risk of losing you."

"And from the looks of it, we already are." Renji paused and stared the petite woman down. "Look at you, a look of total defeat! You're not the Rukia I know."

"I know you're not ready to leave now, so have a good night's rest and think about it tomorrow. Time's running out. We'll be here again at night," Ichigo stepped back from the futon as he spoke, slowly turning towards the window to leave.

"Hnn," she mumbled weakly and watched her best friends take off into the night.

* * *

The next morning was equally horrendous to her. She didn't have any sleep, despite being soothed by Renji and Ichigo's concern. Her walk was wobbly and she had no choice but to admit that she was extremely hungry. The flow of her reaitsu was leaking and going haywire as her control fumbled miserably.

It was probably too early for breakfast to be served, but she instinctively moved towards the kitchen for some kind of physical salvation. Her loose kimono hung lifelessly on her as she dragged herself across the long stretch of corridor. The shining light from the kitchen entrance seemed too far away for her to reach. The servants must be up now, she figured. Perhaps she should call out for help.

But that didn't happen. She was losing concentration and consciousness by the minute and her balanced faltered dangerously. Gravity overwhelmed her and she saw a close-up of the floorboard.

Then she felt herself immobolised, no longer closing the distance between her body and the ground. Someone had grabbed her from the back, hands firm on her shoulders, suspending her in mid-fall. Her breath choked, as the strength of the reiatsu from behind hit her weakened senses. She was going to faint.

She was pulled back and pressed against her savior's chest. He moved to spin her around so that they were face to face. Perhaps her shinigami reflexes were starting to kick in, or her sanity was finally restored, she recognised _it_ suddenly.

How could she forget Byakuya-sama's reiatsu? So absurd!

He circled his arms protectively around her waist, holding her close to himself. He breathed in her scent. His face in her hair.

"Bya…" she tried to form words as her focus slowly recovered.

The sight before him was too much for him to take. He would have expected Hisana to be so utterly in need of protection, but Rukia? His heart broke for the woman before him. She was a definite mess in a dress. Her hair, longer than he remembered, fell across her pale cheeks, and he could tell she was just out of bed. He was not delighted to be obviously shown that she had not slept well…at all. Her hands are on his robes, but he couldn't feel her strength. She would fall again if he let go.

"Bya…" she tried again.

But he silenced her, his lips firstly ghosting across hers with extreme care as a hand tilted her head to a convenient angle, before he pressed in to taste her better. He locked her in with firm kisses as he moved a hand to massage the back of her neck. She was trying her best to reciprocate, but he knew she was too weak to take on an active role. He detached himself just for the briefest moment to whisper, "It's alright, Rukia." He resumed the kiss with considerate passion, careful to ensure that she was keeping up with him while their lips steadily consumed each other. The hand that was still on her back to support her gave her a gentle nudge to move closer, until their bodies were crushed together. It then rubbed her back, smoldering her into total submission.

She relaxed in his touch and sighed in the sinful contact, allowing him to take the level of intimacy to greater heights. Her face flamed red at the feel of his tongue in her mouth. She made a soft sound and he responded by tightening his hold on her. She lost herself in his scent. Cinnamon with a touch of sakura and the lethal suppressed reiatsu threatening to burst forth as their kiss intensified. When they finally broke apart, with her lightly panting and him with the slightest shade of pink on his face, they didn't speak for a long moment. It was a moment of pure appreciation of each other's company.

The comfort didn't last long, for she started to black out once again and he had to lift her off the ground. "You will need to eat," he said as he carried her.

"Yes," she replied but soon enough her eyes were shut and for real, she slept.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: 4 Days!

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**OKAY, SO RUKIA DIDN'T RUN AWAY IN A DRAMATIC ESCAPE OF SORTS, BUT BYAKUYA CAME BACK! I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE THIS STORY AN OVERLY DEPRESSING READ, SO I HAD TO PUT HIM IN THIS CHAPTER =] I HOPE YOU ENJOYED. NEVERTHELESS THE PROBLEM OF THE IMPENDING NUPTIALS IS NOT YET SOLVED...**  
**DO READ AND REVIEW.**


	9. Chapter 8

Hello again. I've been busy with some GinRan one-shots lately but here I am once again vigorously writing this fic! =] Thanks for the kind reviews. They really kept me going. In fact, I'm already halfway through Chapter 9 (yay us!)

Just so you know, the name of this chapter has no relation to the plot. I was just compelled to put it there because I have just decided to write an AU fic about ByaRuki, in which they are the kings and queens of a faraway land (no, the story will not be as lame as it sounds).

Okay, once again: Bleach and its characters do not belong to me.

Some of my OC's from Chapter 1 are in this chapter, so you might want to do a little bit of revision.

Remember to read and review.

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**CHAPTER 8: QUEEN OF HEARTS  
**

It was just pass noon when she finally blinked her eyes open. He was serenely working on his paperwork, his desk facing the futon she lay in. "Welcome home, Nii-sama," she gave him a belated greeting, dreamily watching him as he paused and grunted softly in reply.

"I…oh!" Rukia sat up straight as her eyes grew wide in realisation. "I didn't mean that, as in, I forgot!"

"Rest, or get the servants to bring in food," he replied without looking up from his paper. He was simply too busy to engage in playful arguments, though he didn't mind giving her a guilt trip for calling him 'brother' again.

There was a long silence and he finally lifted his gaze out of curiousity. She still sat in his bed, fatigued, but her eyes shone brightly and she was grinning at him. "What, Rukia?"

"I'm just glad to see Byakuya-sama looking so…normal. It's nostalgic—feels like what our lives used to be like before the engagement," her smile dimmed and she inhaled deeply before asking, "and where have you been? Was the mission successful?"

"The Southern Forest, where a long forgotten Himura clan resides," he replied monotonously, "and yes, it was."

"Oh." She was visibly disappointed by his lack of explanation, her head lowered and her voice laced with defeat. She left his room to freshened up and an hour later, with her hunger quenched and spirit renewed, she plopped herself down on the futon again and waited.

He sighed and stacked the documents neatly, putting away his brush and inkwell. "I talked to Yamamotou Sou-taicho about the wedding," he then suddenly said, successfully gaining her attention. "He made it clear that he will not intervene in noble dealings unless it concerns the wellbeing of Seireitei, which in this case, it does. He expressed his gratitude and support for our clan's well-timed marriage proposal, for it might halt the Seiryus from leaving too soon."

That doesn't sound like good news, does it? Rukia nodded in response, much like an attentive child in school.

"However, I voiced my objection and of course, I had to present him with a new plan to solve the building material crisis. Surprisingly a brief negotiation was all it takes for him to agree to a deal: I will find him a new spirit particle manufacturer that serves as a Seiryu replacement and in return, the Gotei 13 and Central 46 will allow the annulment of the engagement," Byakuya finished his explanation just as emotionlessly, his eyes searching hers for a reaction.

"So the mission… You found the Himuras?" Rukia's tone heightened in excitement, her eyes alive and burning bright.

"I did, and they were sent to be interviewed by Yamamoto Sou-taicho. They were easy to deal with, being a minor noble clan which has little contribution over the past century."

She stood up and half-ran to him, and he readied himself for a hug. Upon contact, Rukia buried her face in the crook of his neck, his scarf soft against her cheek. He patted her back and allowed himself a small smile, but there was so much more left on his mind.

"Rukia," he started, "this is definitely a good start but when I said 'allow the annulment' it doesn't necessary mean a guaranteed termination of the engagement. What we have now is the simple consent from the Gotei and Central 46 to unlawfully break the agreement of marriage, not direct intervention. In other words, we will still have to deal with the Elders."

She untangled herself from his arms, worry slowly etching itself back to her features. "I see."

"Nevertheless you would be happy to know that in view of our family's loyal services and the fact that he wishes to keep you as a shinigami, Yamamoto Sou-taicho has accepted my personal request, if all else fails." _Three days is too short a time to get through the thick skulls of the Elders._

"What request…" her question died as he placed his hands behind her head, then tracing the outline of her ears in a soothing gesture. She leaned forward, unsuspectingly and subconsciously twirling the end of his scarf.

"Now tell me, did he touch you?" Byakuya's moved a hand down her jaw and tilted her chin so that they are eye-to-eye.

She became suddenly alarmed by his change of topic. _Who? Shishio?_

"Seiryu Shishio," he clarified, as though reading her thoughts.

"No," she replied uneasily, her eyes darting away from his face. _That kiss doesn't count._

"I read your letter," he said matter-of-factly, fighting the smirk he was about to form as she blushed in embarrassment, "and you said he reminded you of me. How so?"

"Byakuya-sama, he is nothing like you, if that's what you are worried about," she countered, silently hoping that he would drop the topic entirely. But she should have known, Kuchiki Byakuya was _the_ Kuchiki Byakuya, stubborn from the very minute he was born.

"I am not the slightest bit deterred by the possibility of him resembling me in any manner. It is his actions that trouble me, Rukia. I've heard rumours. The servants are never good at keeping secrets, you know that. So don't lie. Tell me, what did he do?"

"Nothing." She turned her head away, a futile effort, for his grip on her tightened and she was once again forced to look into his grey eyes.

"Rukia," his voice was stern and hard with controlled anger, "did he do anything, at all, that only I am allowed to do to you?" It was the ultimatum, the question that took only honesty as answers.

She instinctively shut her eyes from him and sighed. "He kissed me. I didn't want him to."

He didn't move, nor did he say anything in reply. Without her sight aiding her to read his emotions, she remained still as well, waiting for the next thing to happen.

"That will never happen again," Byakuya finally spoke, his demeanor chilly and frosted by hidden emotions. She felt a rush of adrenaline and perhaps pure fear along her spine. Fear for herself or the man who forced a kiss on her, she did not know.

"Hnn," her voice was small. Before she knew it, her back was against the desk, his hand behind her head to cushion her fall, and her body was flushed against his. She gasped in surprise, and that opening was his cue to give her a dominating kiss.

* * *

"Oh, you know us well, Kuchiki-sama. We don't compromise for the sake of your personal reasons," a bearded elder gave the Head of the Clan a deadpan stare. Byakuya didn't take the sarcasm lightly, and fixed a dangerous stare in defiance.

"Such a disgraceful request! We Kuchikis stay true to our word, always!"

"The one time we accepted your immature request, we didn't even get an heir out of it," a woman added. Byakuya turned his head to her. It was Subame.

"I believe that being noble does not denote that we are beings that simply _reproduce_ for the sake of increasing Soul Society's population," he retorted cooly. "Which reminds me, you don't seem to particularly excel in the reproduction department yourself, Subame."

"That's….irrelevant, Kuchiki-sama!" Subame reddened in anger and shame while Yukina, seated next to her, snickered as politely as she could master.

"I'm glad that you realise so," Byakuya replied.

A man stood up and cleared his throat.

"You wish to speak, Ryoga?" Byakuya toned his words with moderation as he directed his attention to his great uncle, Kuchiki Ryoga.

"Kuchiki-sama, even though the authorities permit the termination of the engagement between your sister and the Seiryu master, it is still highly inappropriate to break it off just four days before the wedding. And such elaborate plans have been set in motion just for the sake of this union. Moreover, I've heard that Rukia has been getting along well with her fiancé. There is simply no need…"

"She doesn't love him," Byakuya interrupted.

"Perhaps she will? The Seiryu representatives who attended a meeting informed us that their young master is very happy with the wedding arrangement. He is capable of providing her with proper care and… the love that you so highly regard in a marriage. Please do not worry, Kuchiki-sama."

"Rukia has made it very clear that she is not in love with Seiryu," Byakuya paused thoughtfully, searching for the best vocabulary, "in fact, she is now in bed, still ill from the depressing marriage arrangement. You should have noticed her recent change."

"Oh yes," Yukina joined in, "she did not eat and the maids reported that she did not sleep well either."

Ryoga spoke again, "There's hope of her recovering, but there certainly is no hope of saving the clan's reputation if we call off the wedding at this point."

"I am willing to risk the reputation for the physical and mental health of my sister. We will not be committing a crime. The Central 46 has made it so. Our reputation is not at stake. Great uncle, you are implying that I should go against a vow I've made to my late wife in favour of a superficial agreement made with a lesser clan. You are asking me to abandon the pride and reputation of the Head of the Clan. This, I cannot accept."

"I…am sorry." The elderly man bowed in defeat and returned to his seat. But more voices bombarded Byakuya in the hall.

"Outrageous! Kuchiki-sama, Ryoga-sama has a point there…" someone half-yelled.

"Your late wife has already claimed her rights during her stay in our clan. The agreement with the Seiryus is definitely worth more consideration in the current situation. Obviously…" a mumble followed by the sounds of agreement.

"My, my…" Yukina rubbed her temples as she eyed her surroundings.

"You are perhaps overly concern… Rukia is capable of performing the duties of Lady Seiryu…"

"I don't see the point of this meeting. A mere girl from nowhere, causing us this mess!" A woman made wide circular motions in the air with her arms, appearing upset.

"Kuchiki-sama," Yukina's voice, firm and loud, successfully silenced the others. "Do tell us, why are you doing this?"

"I've made my reasons clear," Byakuya, appreciative of the calmed atmosphere, replied plainly.

"Your worry for Rukia's wellbeing is not a sufficient reason, because worries are abstract, immeasurable and unfortunately limited to the very few here who truly care about her. You are not winning this battle with such a pathetic explanation," his aunt elaborated, her eyes displaying a scheming gleam.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes at her, unsure of what to say.

"Do tell us, your real reasons of disapproving the upcoming wedding. Why are you worrying so exceedingly? Is Seiryu Shishio not compatible with your sister? Did he not impress you? Aren't you being biased?"

"The problem lies with Rukia, not Seiryu. She is unfortunately incapable of loving him."

"That does not mean she can't be a good wife to him. And Shishio-sama seems like a very tolerant man," Yukina smiled widely at her nephew. _Just say it, Byakuya._

A suffocating silence followed and dragged on for a couple of minutes.

"I love my sister and I do not wish to send her away. It is too soon, in my opinion. Her reluctance to wed has convinced me that a cancellation is due," Byakuya finally replied. _Surely half truths will satisfy you, Yukina?_

"You love your sister, but do you love her as a brother?" Yukina questioned confidently.

And the hall exploded with exclamations.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: 4 Days!

* * *

NEXT:

RENJI AND ICHIGO AGAIN! A CONFRONTATION WITH BYAKUYA!

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**THIS CHAPTER IS MOSTLY EXPLANATORY AND I HOPE IT DIDN'T BORE YOU TOO MUCH. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! THANKS AGAIN, TO THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING THIS FIC. I'M GLAD THAT MY STYLE OF WRITING APPEALS TO YOU. DO CHECK OUT MY GINRAN ONE-SHOTS. MY LATEST, 'DUST IN THE WIND' FEATURES BYARUKI TOO.**


	10. Chapter 9

A good news and a bad news for you guys. BAD NEWS: I'm going to be away (without my faithful laptop) for the next week so there will be no updates! GOOD NEWS: I decided to upload my latest chapter before my flight so I won't starve you guys too much.

I made some minor corrections to the last chapter. But that has no effect to the plotline. On another note, for those who are confused, I'm using British English, and that could be inconvenient for those who are used to American spelling (sorry :p).

Anyway, hope you enjoy the KING OF SPADES and give me some reviews! =]

Cheers.

**

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**

**CHAPTER 9: KING OF SPADES**

"You love your sister, but do you love her as a brother?" Yukina questioned confidently.

And the hall exploded with exclamations.

_Don't disappoint me now, Byakuya. Don't back down. All I need is a proof._ "Well?" she pressed on. _Prove to me that a love so trodden on, so cursed with the pain of the past, the resistance of the present and the uncertainty of the future…can work!_

The hall seemed to magically become very alive, more so than it ever was. People were running from one end to the other to noisily discuss the current predicament. Predictions and guesses were loudly proclaimed as the raspy voices of the Elders chorused together. Byakuya felt his head pound against his skull and majestically let out an order, "Behave yourselves!"

His eruption brought a temporary peace but soon enough the other occupants of the room roared with curiosity once more, their shouts mainly directed at him.

"No," he finally said, a poker face perfectly displayed. It was a plain and simple statement, but it silenced the entire hall with much efficiency. He did not want to further elaborate, overwhelmed by tremendous worry. This unforeseen confession could be one of two things: the key to successful negotiation, or the bomb that sets things awry.

"This revelation provides another prospect of consideration in this meeting. We shall revalue the validity of the engagement," Yukina announced. Whisperings were heard right after.

She sat in her seat, satisfied with the new development, and smiled at her nephew. _Father was right. You have something Kouga could never have—the will to be yourself, despite…everything._

**

* * *

**

**"For a bride-to-be, you don't look very excited," he spoke softly as the two of them sat on the foyer steps, the sounds of the spring echoing just enough for them to hear in the otherwise still and silent night.**

"**You're one to talk," she smiled playfully at her fiancé, "looking more like a man ready for war than a man prepared to wed."**

"**Loving you is very much like a darn battle, you know," he smiled too, but his eyes were distant and pained. He was not looking at her.**

"**Kou," she laid a hand on his, sadness touching her youthful features, "don't speak like that." Slowly, she followed his gaze and spotted a silhouette at the corner of the yard. "Byakuya's practising again. The boy sure has perseverance, hmm?"**

"**He**** gives that kid more attention than he could ever spare me," his voice rang too bitterly for her liking, and she cringed. "I can do no right in his eyes. This isn't about our wedding anymore, Yukina. I'm tired of being spat on. Even if you and I never met, I want to get this over and done with—I want him to see how awfully wrong he was for not recognising my power."**

"**Father does see you," she lowered her head, staring down at her unoccupied hand, "I just know. I understand that this isn't really about us anymore. The engagement has been made and nothing can possibly go wrong for us, after all." She was having a hard time convincing herself and she knew it. "And I suppose it's alright for you to prove yourself but…"**

"**But you think it's never possible?"**

"**No! I… I think Father values you as an individual, not just because you are my fiancé. Perhaps he can never provide you his care and teachings the way he does for his grandson," she paused to search for his eyes only to find nothing in them, "but he will always give you his patience and understanding. It's just that… he doesn't tell you much."**

**Kouga was silent. She didn't know if he was swallowing her words in forced acceptance or merely reluctant to retort any further. They both looked out to the yard, watching quietly as the next Head of the Clan fell limply to the ground in exhaustion.**

"**Kou?" Her hand nudged his for a response. "Promise me something?"**

"**Hmm?" His hard expression rearranged itself into one of gentleness for a split second, but quickly disappearing to form a withdrawn and stoic face.**

"**Don't change."**

**He looked at her questioningly. What does it take for a man to understand a woman in love? "I don't ****want**** to change. I've come so far for you, from a commoner to someone who has the right to wear a kenseikan. I ****had**** to change."**

"**I'm not talking about the past. We've got what we wanted now, so there's no need to be like that anymore." Her eyes watered for reasons she didn't know. "So don't change. Not for Father; not for me; not for yourself… or your desire for recognition and power."**

**Once again she was greeted with eyes that shut her away from his world. He didn't say anything in return. She lifted her hand to brush his navy hair. **_**This… is real. We are real, can't you see? You are the reality I believe in, so don't take that away.**_

**Moments later she was up on her feet, ready to retire for the night. 'Worry and disappointment can wait till morning', she thought foolishly and perhaps deceitfully. "Goodnight, Kouga."**

"**Goodnight," he said smoothly.**

**As she slid the shoji door open to enter, her back towards him, he spoke the little words she could never forget. "I love you, Yuki."**

**She was glad that she couldn't see his face. She was more than afraid to find hollowness and not endearment on it. She was glad, for until forever she could always choose to believe that he meant every single syllable of his declaration. "Love you too."**

**The promise she wanted was never made, and the wedding they spent their dreams and hearts on didn't happen.**

**She had no regrets, nevertheless.**

**He didn't have the time to even think about regrets.**

**She saw it coming.**

**He changed.**

**

* * *

**

Ichigo and Renji arrived as promised at night. Renji, of course, knew of Byakuya's return, but a fool could tell that the wedding was not off—decorations were still all over the place and the maids hushed each other as they gossiped about the wedding of the century. The two walked stealthily along the dark corridor that leads to Byakuya's chambers. They knew she would be in there.

They also knew the Sixth captain was expecting them the moment they set foot on Kuchiki property. If Rukia was awake, she would be ready to open the door for them too.

Ichigo thought the corridor stretched on too long for his liking. He flinched as he overheard female giggles and the excited whispers about "Oh the true love! I heard they kissed…" "This wedding will be epic!" "Did you see Rukia-sama's kimono? It's…"

Nearing Byakuya's door the two men put their training into practice. Hands on the hilt of each sword, they moved in a battle stance. Disappointingly, the door did not open for them dramtically to reveal Byakuya with an unsheathed Senbonzakura, so they resorted to knocking.

"Renji, Ichigo," Rukia's voice came from the other side of the door. She cracked the door open to reveal the room finely lit and Byakuya depressingly absorbed in his paperwork. The two shinigamis stepped in, with Renji bowing politely and Ichigo clearing his throat before addressing the captain, "Byakuya."

"Brat, you do realise you are trespassing."

"Well, nobody bothered to stop me from doing so."

"That's because I have no intention of sending my men out to die for your idiocy," Byakuya gave both redheads a cold stare.

Rukia stood in between the men, unsure of what to say or do under such circumstances. She could sense both Ichigo's and Renji's reiatsu spiking between intervals. They were more agitated than the night before.

"Taicho, please forgive our intrusion. But you know our intentions. You have but four days left!"

"Correction, Renji. After tonight, only three days," Ichigo moved as he spoke, and on his best behaviour he stood in front of Byakuya before slamming a hand onto the desk. "Nobility bullsh…"

"Ichigo!" Rukia exclaimed in worry.

"Out of my sight," Byakuya glared unmovingly at the teen, "Brat."

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: Ichigo says it!

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COMING SOON: SHISHIO FIGHTS BACK AND... A LETTER FROM KUCHIKI GINREI!

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**THIS CHAPTER ISN'T AS LONG AS MY USUAL UPLOADS, BUT I HOPE ITS QUALITY IS STILL UP TO YOUR STANDARD YEA? THE BIT ABOUT YUKINA AND KOUGA IS OF COURSE A BRAINCHILD FROM THE ZANPAKUTO REBELLION ARC. THOUGH NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MAIN STORYLINE, I THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN YUKINA'S STRANGELY HELPFUL BEHAVIOUR. REMEMBER TO REVIEW, PLEASE AND THANK YOU. I SHALL SPEND MY HOLIDAYS PLOTTING SHISHIO'S COMEBACK... (EVIL LAUGHTER)**


	11. Chapter 10

Okay people, we are nearing the end of this fic! But of course, for now the show is still on as Rukia's engagement is...

Not yet broken.

Plus Shishio hasn't got his say yet. He'll have a try in this chapter =)

Also, thanks for the kind reviews. I was almost jumping for joy when I realised we've passed the 80-reviews milestone!

Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine.**  


* * *

  
CHAPTER 10: THE CALL**

_ It's been a while, Rukia. I dropped by just after daybreak, but your reiatsu was so obviously asleep that I didn't bother asking if you were willing to spare me a few minutes to talk. Your servants are incredibly helpful though, promising to hand this letter to you the moment you emerge from your chambers (and if you're actually reading this, maid/butler/random servant, do respect my privacy and place this back into the envelope). Now, I'm sitting in a tea room, wondering what on earth happened to your yard… Your brother should consider hiring new gardeners with better taste. Either that, or he has some anger management issues to tend to. Heh, venting by demolishing the garden is a sick hobby. Oh, that reminds me of the purpose of my visit: Kuchiki Byakuya has finally returned huh? Did he not propose an annulment of the engagement? I was so eagerly awaiting notifications from the Seiryu Elders but heard none so far. To say the least, I'm glad. Yet it doesn't seem probable that our wedding is still on. It's a little hard to believe, from my point of view. That's why I'm here. I want to hear it from you, once and for all—will you marry me?_

_ Noon, at the Falls of Apology, or should I say "Blood of the Great Eight" as you shinigamis call it? Meet me. I will be perfectly gentlemanly, if you're worried about a reoccurrence of… whatever transpired between us during our last meeting. Bring your freaking zanpakutou, if you like. Don't bring another soul along. I want answers, however useless they are in this situation, and however untrue they are from your despicable mouth. Really, I just need to talk to you. I won't even mind having to inhale your brother's choking reiatsu. And of course I have something for you too—the location should make it obvious._

_ Miraculously unjealous & well-behaved, Shishio._

* * *

"I fell asleep before the fighting started?" Rukia blinked in bewilderment at the other Kuchiki before eyeing her surrounding with… utter dismay. "Even your koi pond is…" She sighed, turning away from the mess outside the window and the partially destroyed wall of their now shared room (which suspiciously appeared like the work of Getsuga Tenshou).

"It will be fixed by tomorrow. The servants are already ordered to clean things up," Byakuya replied nonchalantly before straightening up from the futon and directing his gaze at her with just a hint of amusement. "And no, you did not fall asleep. My lieutenant, who very courageously risked his job and life, knocked you out while in my presence."

"**I'm not leaving until there's a concrete solution here! And I'll leave **_**with**__** her**_**!" Ichigo retorted fiercely at the stoic man.**

"**Kurosaki Ichigo, I repeat—Get out of my sight, **_**now**_**."**

"**Taicho, I've heard, you already have the permission to legally break the engagement, so why…?"**

"**The Elders wouldn't listen. It's not that easy, Renji. We are making some progress. The Elders agreed to seriously consider an annulment. We just need time to fully convince them!" Rukia stood between her two best friends and her supposed-to-be brother.**

"**Then drop the uptight nobility act and just bloody hell tell them you love her before time runs out!" Ichigo shouted at the captain, his fist clenched, deliberately ignoring Rukia's protective stance, which faltered at his words.**

**Head slightly bowed and voice softer than usual, Rukia spoke, "As a matter of fact, Byakuya-sama already did."**

**Ichigo would have laughed at Renji's comical facial expression if he was in a better mood. "And yet it didn't work. I wonder, why the likes of you, Byakuya, let yourself get run all over by stubborn old people."**

"**Your level of comprehension is limiting your reasoning power, I see that now," Byakuya hit the younger fighter with cold sarcasm.**

"**I'm sorry Taicho. I just can't stand here and do nothing but watch the wedding becomes reality. I've made up my mind…"**

"Those two… I… Please forgive them, Byakuya-sama. They have the best intentions."

"Hnn," he rubbed his temple and closed his eyes, still sitting in bed with her by his side. "It would have been easier if you weren't noble. I would have allowed them to take you."

"Shhh," she pried his fingers away from his face and waited till he reopened his eyes. "Don't lie," she smiled cheekily, "you won't let me leave you. Nor do I want you to let me go just like that. Being noble and doing things the hard way is… our style."

He didn't smile back, but his strained expression softened… and almost crumbled entirely as she leaned forward suddenly, kissing him full on the lips, then speedily untangling herself from the sheets and made her way towards the bathroom. "I'll see you at breakfast!"

"**I take that as a direct insult towards my pride, Abarai," Byakuya's glare intensified as Rukia's body slumped to the floor from his lieutenant's blow. Senbonzakura was promptly unsheathed as a furious Getsuga Tenshou immediately rang through the mansion.**

**The trio soon took the fight out to the yard and the flow of reiatsu from their bankai stuffed the land with choking pressure. Maids stumbled as they ran as far as possible from the fight and the Elders were ushered to the underground emergency chambers. **

"**Imbeciles, kidnapping Rukia at this stage will do nothing but erase what I've earned."**

"**Speak commoners' language, Byakuya!" Ichigo gritted his teeth, projecting his voice as efficiently as possible between the clangs of swords.**

"**I seek the means of preventing this marriage lawfully, though I lack the Elders' consent right now. Your rash judgement will once again put Rukia in a criminal's position. The Central 46 will not tolerate your interference in this matter. Worse of all, the Elders will react more negatively and aggressively…" Byakuya blasted Hihio's canon with Senbonzakura, "by concluding the argument with finality and perhaps within a shorter period of time."**

"**And then you'll be forced to do something **_**unlawful**_**, right? Butt in during the wedding ceremony or something… You know what? I think you're just afraid that you will have to soil your reputation and honour!"**

"**Ichigo, calm down. You don't mean any of that, right?" Renji managed to speak in between heavy pants.**

**Byakuya narrowed his eyes at the substitute shinigami. "I can and will do anything for my pride."**

"**I don't freaking care about your pride! I want Rukia safe and happy for god's sake!" Ichigo's battle aura increased considerably.**

**With Senbonzakura once again materialised in sword form, Byakuya faced Ichigo and readied himself for the next attack. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Renji sheathing Zabimaru. "Giving up, Abarai?"**

**The red head nodded and turned to his human friend. "Ichigo, stop."**

"**What?" Ichigo asked incredulously.**

"**We should leave the rest to Taicho. We can trust him."**

"**Oh right, so we came all the way here and fought with all our wits and you want to quit now? And he's too **_**noble**_** to be trusted, excuse me!"**

**Renji sighed. "And I thought you were at least a tiny bit smarter than me. You don't get it do you? He just made us a promise."**

**Ichigo looked blankly at his friend, then at the stoic captain who was calmly walking away.**

"**He said it. He said he will do anything for **_**his pride**_**. And I think I know **_**who**_** that is."**

* * *

"You came," he announced plainly, but his signature smile efficiently expressed his joy and relief.

"Yes, miraculously. Byakuya-sama thanked you for your gardening tips before I came," she joked as she walked up to him. They were both standing on the top of rocky hills, the perfect viewpoint to admire the majestic waterfall. "So I am here to accept your apology?" she questioned carefully, wondering if that was what he meant by _"the location should make it obvious"_.

"Yeah," he replied almost dreamily, "don't really know why they named such a pretty place with saddening words like 'apology'… Anyway, I used to imagine spending lots of time here with a soul mate, so I decided to actually try it out." He grinned boyishly at her.

"I don't know about the naming systems either. But I do know about the Great Eight. Just half a minute's walk from where we are standing is the site of…"

"Hollowfication, I know… Where eight of Sereitei's important shinigamis died—the birth of the Vizards."

"It was like the beginning of all tragedies. I was told that Kaien-dono's death was not entirely unexpected…" She shivered at the memory and memories of the Winter War flashed in her head.

"Let's not dwell in the past," he frowned.

"But to think that this is where it all started! And that he could still be…"

"The dead _is_ dead, Rukia. You wear 'death' on your name as a shinigami, you should know."

She remained quiet for a while. "Do you think this place will be a landmark for _our _tragedy as well?"

"That's an odd question," his smile died, "and my answer's N-O."

She moved and sat on the ground, viewing the scenery with a seemingly relaxed mood. He knew she was deep in thought and followed suit, sitting next to her.

"For one, we're not dying, so there aren't any tragedies to begin with. A wedding's a happy occasion," he poked her arm playfully, "and I'm under the impression that the ceremonies are quite harmless and obviously," he paused for dramatic effect, "Kuchiki Byakuya is practically immortal."

At that she looked sharply at him, disapproving his sense of humour.

"Sorry."

"It's alright," she gave him a convincing smile, but it didn't melt his heart - it burned him.

"I'm not apologising for what I just said. I was talking about what happened in..."

"The dead is dead," she mocked, "no point dwelling in the past huh?"

"So… the wedding...it's still on?"

She frowned, and she could tell that he already knew her answer by reading her face. "I hope not."

"Ah," he was lost. He reached out with a reluctant hand to brush her hair away from her face. _The dead is dead… shouldn't dwell in things that can't be. _But his hand was possessed by pure emotion, tucking her hair behind her ear as he watched her flinch under his touch. "So he's still fighting for it," he half-questioned.

"Yes, and the Elders agreed to reconsider."

"What's the deal?"

She didn't understand his question, so he repeated, "What did he offer in exchange of their reconsideration?"

"Truth."

He gave her a look of confusion, but comprehension soon overcame it. "At least I know you will be loved by a man with guts, should my tragedy come true." He pulled her in, burying his face into her hair as he hugged her. She did not protest, but he could feel that she was not entirely willing. He pitied himself for taking advantage of _her_ pity. Her warmth stormily wrecked his mind as the intermingled reiatsu that distinctly reminded him of the elder Kuchiki broke him once again. And through blurring tears he could see a glaring object lying on the ground - she did bring her darn zanpakutou after all.

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Countdown to the wedding: 3 Days!

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**HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS CHAPTER. PLEASE REVIEW! =] AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ADDED THIS STORY TO THEIR FAVOURITES.**


	12. Chapter 11

This week is just so depressing. More assignments. More projects. And then the manga had to top it off with... Let's just say I love Gin & Rangiku and now I'm just devastated.

Okay, back to business.

Honestly, there isn't much development in this chapter. But hopefully I won't disappoint you with what I have to offer here! Let's see... there's Rukia becoming more like an iron lady than a damsel in distress...and Byakuya being a bit bit jealous again...

For those who expect to see Kuchiki Ginrei's letter, well, erm, things got out of hand again so it will be in the next!**  


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**CHAPTER 11: MAI, SODE NO SHIRAYUKI  
**

The sky was a pretty purple right before nightfall when Rukia followed Byakuya into the meeting hall. She busied herself by staring at the rise and fall of his haori as he walked a feet in front of her, seemingly absorbed by the gentle movement of the fabric, unwilling to entertain the worries about the greatest decision about her life… which was going to be made by the Kuchiki Elders in the matter of hours… or minutes, she wasn't sure.

The two had an exceptionally early dinner, both more silent than usual as the air in the dining room staled with unspoken concern and disheartening truths that he did not want to tell her. When she was away in the afternoon, he stumbled upon a letter he had received from his grandfather, almost forgotten after a century of childhood-less and routine days.

No, he would not tell Rukia what he had read in the letter. He would not burden her any more than she already was by the name of Kuchiki. He was so uncharacteristically scared by his grandfather's words—Kuchiki Ginrei's very last teachings. He felt much like an inexperienced child again, uncertain of his true intentions and the right decisions, wondering if he should just cling onto his grandfather's instructions for insurance.

He would have done so without much hesitation, but the letter did little to encourage his current mission to save his woman from a loveless marriage. It did almost nothing but enforced his detached approach to personal feelings and honed his will to be selfless… for the sake of the Kuchiki clan.

And when he slid the door open, welcomed by the greetings of the Elders, he mentally outlined the beginning of his speech. He would tell them, without a trace of a doubt, that Rukia was not to marry Seiryu, simple and straightforward. Yet the voice of Kuchiki Ginrei rang in his head as he allowed Rukia to sit next to him, her hand cold on his. She must had seen the shallow crease between his brows, for she frowned back at him as he looked at her worried face from the corner of his eyes.

The Elders shuffled, straightening their clothes to properly face their young master. Some still wore the same scornful look, noticing how their Head 'incestuously' took his adopted sister's hand and squeezed it lightly to show assurance.

"Shall we begin?" Byakuya initiated—a rare thing to do.

* * *

"**Blood," he spoke as soon as she entered, a greeting stuck in her mouth as she was caught by surprise.**

"**Blood, Byakuya-sama?" she was clueless and stared questioningly at the man who wasn't even looking at her. He was holding a document, a serious expression intact, which reminded her… "Why are you not in your division barracks today?"**

"**Abarai is filling in. There is no need."**

**She opened her mouth again but he effectively cut it off, "And we have urgent matters to attend to."**

"**Oh," she nodded in comprehension. **_**Must be the Elders.**_

"**Back to what I was saying, Rukia—why are you injured?" Byakuya placed the document into a drawer and made to move towards her. "I smell it."**

**She looked down at herself and finally spotted what he was referring to.**

**It was a scratch across her left wrist, so minor that she did not notice. But the cut was deep enough to hurt when she brushed her fingers across it experimentally. "I must have…"**

"**Seiryu did this?" he raised a brow as he harshly grabbed her by her left arm, jerking her towards him until she was merely inches away.**

"**No!" She almost pouted at his ungentlemanly assumption, but held her tongue, realising that he had shun-poed away. A brief second later he came back with a wet hand towel in hand.**

**She ignored his air of arrogance and distrust as he approached her, once again holding her dangerously close to himself. Then, one hand holding her arm and immobilising her, Byakuya blobbed the wet cloth onto her wrist with the other, carefully cleaning the wound. She huffed and explained, "It's a scratch… a random and **_**extremely **_**small one. We were at the Falls and there were sticks on the ground, so…"**

"**What were **_**you**_** doing on the ground?" **_**…with Seiryu Shishio, to be precise.**_

**Blushing, she swore that there was a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he spoke. "You…" **_**jealous, overprotective… bully!**_

"**Hmm?" He finally put the towel away and eyed the line of the cut before looking at her face.**

**She did nothing but blush at him, their proximity obviously affecting her inner workings. She could feel his breath fanning onto her cheeks, each exhalation oddly cold compared to the heat spreading over her face. He chanted softly, and she knew he was going to use a healing kido on her ridiculous case of an 'injury'.**

"**You don't have to," she said.**

"**I haven't had the chance to, so allow me." **

"**It would have healed in an hour's time without external help," she really pouted this time.**

"**That's an inappropriate face to make, Rukia."**

"**I haven't had the chance to pout for a long time, Byakuya-sama, so pardon me!"**

"**I refuse to play mocking games," a nearly invisible smile crept onto his face. Within seconds the wound closed perfectly, the skin on her wrist once again flawless. "It soothes me," he stated suddenly as they remained standing close to each other, face-to-face.**

**She tilted her head in confusion.**

"**Healing you, it soothes me. I've always entrusted you to the Fourth Division after battles, but here, knowing that I'm fully capable of physically caring for you, it soothes me."**

**She tip-toed and kissed his cheek, then on the pulse point of his neck, but soon found the height difference awkward. Sensing her discomfort he brought his hands to her waist and hoisted her up as she made a sound of surprise. She wrapped her arms around his neck for support while he adjusted his hold on her, hugging her firmly by circling his arms around her, leaving her feet dangling above the ground.**

**She smiled at him, though embarrassed by the situation. Her heart thumped against his, and he could feel it. And he thought she had never looked more radiant—her cheeks were dyed red, her eyes were sparkling violet before being overshadowed by a lustful purple while her lips parted as she drew short breaths.**

How odd, when crude remarks and merciless comments were thrown into his face from the stubborn bunch of old Kuchikis, the single clear thought that occupied his mind was the scene he shared with her before this hell of a meeting. He curled his fingers around hers, a sign of affection he could afford to show under the eyes of the Elders. She had closed her eyes, shutting the others out, but he could see the twitch under her eyelids and hear the sharp inhalation of air she made out of frustration.

"I disagree," he said once more, to no avail. The Elders made more noise, more noise and more noise.

"You fools! How dare you? This is the sole male descendent of the main Kuchiki bloodline you're speaking to. He's the only one who has earned the praise and trust of my father—our Late Ginrei-sama. His words will be our command!" His aunt stood in the middle of the hall, eyes ablazed with anger.

The others hushed, but refusals still bubbled under their breaths as they shot the petite woman seated next to their leader a disapproving glare.

Rukia took that as her cue to speak up. She remained seated, her back straight and eyes fixed forward with dignity and a proud aura, taking her Kuchiki training to the heart, behaving like a true Lady Kuchiki. "Thank you, Yukina-sama, for being supportive of our lord's decision. I am truly remorseful for causing this much trouble for all of you, yes, that includes you," she turned to smile at Byakuya, before looking at the rest again, "but I am too confused by your behaviour tonight. During my stay here as a Kuchiki, I was taught to obey my lord's wishes as he who leads the house is the best man bestowed with the intellect and strengths—whether that be physical or mental—that will guide us all towards righteous decisions, without failing the clan's pride or failing to provide harmony."

The Elders whispered among themselves as Yukina looked on with a satisfied smirk.

Rukia continued, her hand cold from nervousness and anticipation even though enveloped by her partner's warmth, "But look now, what you have done. You've upset harmony. You are disobeying the man handpicked by Ginrei-sama, a lord whom you had not dared to show such… ungraceful and disrespectful behaviour. You are doubting Byakuya-sama as much as you are doubting his grandfather's will! Marrying Rukia against Byakuya-sama's wishes is not righteous in any way, I believe. My life may be valueless, or impure, as you say, but getting rid of me by these means is unjust. I beseech you, is this action befitting for the noble-blooded? And…" she paused, uncertainty clear in her eyes as she sought Byakuya's, "depriving your lord of what he loves to satisfy a trade made with a lesser clan… Is that not a shame to our pride?"

"**Your form of training is consistent and repetitive, but seemingly fruitless," his steely voice came from behind her. She jumped in response, quickly straightening her shinigami robes and turning around to greet him.**

"**Nii-sama."**

"**It is late. You should retire," he took in her slightly disheveled appearance—she had been training with Sode no Shirayuki for hours in the dark of the Northern Forest without tire, as he expected ever since sensing her reiatsu on his way back from the barracks.**

"**How did you…"**

"**You did not conceal it well," he turned, signaling her to follow him home.**

"**Oh. My apologies… I will work on reiatsu suppression as soon as possible, Nii-sama."**

**He stopped in his tracks, he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the sorrowful tone of her voice. Perhaps it was the overly formal choice of words that made him too uncomfortable to feign ignorance. Perhaps it was the location—Seiryu territory—getting on his nerves… Perhaps it was the proposal of her engagement he heard from the Elders in the morning…**

**He spoke. "What was it that went wrong?"**

**She stared at him, lost. "I beg your pardon?"**

"**You were working on your shikai, were you not?"**

"**Oh! Yes, Nii-sama. The third dance is… still unstable and it exhausts me so I decided to train more with…"**

"**Then do not use it unless absolutely necessary. The first two shikai forms you wield should suffice your duties as an unseated officer," he interrupted, though not missing the defeated look on her face.**

"**I… understand," she replied.**

**He knew that she would follow his advice, that she felt degraded by his unwillingness to help her improve, that she wished to be seated in Gotei 13. Yet despite it all, he knew his priority was to protect her. Mastering the final stages of shikai would only mean the beginning of bankai, something that would hinder his interference with Ukitake's continual efforts of promoting her.**

But the Rukia he saw before him right now was anything but defeated. She stood up for herself better than anyone could. Byakuya's ego swelled. He noted how the hall had considerably quieted after her speech. He wondered if his grandfather was this proud of him when he was crowned the successor of the Head of the Clan. He looked on as the Elders continued the debate on Rukia's upcoming marriage and silently made up his mind with great determination.

Rukia will stay, whatever it takes.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: 3 Days!

* * *

**TWO MORE CHAPTERS TO GO! MAYBE THREE, ACTUALLY. BUT WE ARE APPROACHING THE END OF THE STORY! THANK YOU ALL FOR FOLLOWING THIS FAR =] PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEEEEASE REVIEW ;)**


	13. Chapter 12

Sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I've been really busy.

Here's chapter 12 and of course, I do not own Bleach and its characters.

A shout-out to manga fans reading this fic: I hope Ichi regains his powers! =(

Please read and review!

* * *

**CHAPTER 12: IT FALLS APART**

"And thus, it is best for us to keep the honour we've made to the Seiryu's and go on with the wedding," Subame said smugly, her face ugly in her moment of glory.

Like on cue, half of the Elders in the meeting hall smiled appreciatively at the speaker, relieved that the debate had been concluded according to their likings. At the front end of the table, Byakuya and Rukia looked at each other, dismay sharp and piercing amongst the many emotions that flashed pass their eyes.

They were so very close to winning. So close.

Until _the letter_ was presented to all and read outloud by Kuchiki Subame. Sometimes Byakuya wonder how is he related to such an obnoxious female. He indulged in a silent cursing spree that he forgot to reprimand her for stealing the letter from him.

* * *

"_My grandson,_

_I've been victorious in so many battles in my lifetime as a shinigami, but I know how insufficient my contributions are to my children… and the fact that so few of them remain can't press the guilt any further. It is a living nightmare, not a consolation, to be given the responsibility to raise you after your parents' death, Byakuya. Do not frown at this, child, for you are a nightmare I willingly sleep for. I am merely afraid of losing you the way I lost your father—too soon, too suddenly. I can hear you so clearly from where I am seated right now. Your inexperienced footsteps and sword swings reach my ears from the training hall… I wonder if you knew I've been listening attentively and habitually to your incessant noise, just because I am your sole guardian and I intend to excel this post dutifully._

_As the Head of the Clan, my agenda is to be more than a man should be. I have searched throughout the past and present, for a balance between desire and duty, and I found that precise point of perfection in your being. I am too much work and logic but nothing when challenged by your father's words, "Do you love me enough?" I am not perfect in that sense, but to say the least, I am sure I've done enough for the clan and have yet failed Sereitei as a shinigami captain. You, child, are so much more than me. You not only possess boundless capacity to feel and act upon intuition, but also the growing sense of responsibility and the calmness every leader needs. I believe I can rest easy, with the knowledge of you working so hard to accept your destiny as my successor."_

Everyone had held their breaths and listened intently to Subame's recital. Rukia inwardly thought that the content of the letter favoured their side of the argument so far, but the knowing look in Subame's eyes had signalled otherwise. And so she waited alongside her lord, for the impending doom. Byakuya shut his eyes. He knew what was next.

"…_I know I will live enough to see you become a man. But perhaps for a spur of the moment, I am writing this for you before words start to fail me and you turn too old to be able to feel what words truly mean._

_I worry for you, despite my strong belief in you. You are hot-headed and quick to fall into whatever pleases you even when your mind is sharp enough for you to escape troubles unharmed. Most of your time after my departure, Byakuya, will require you to __**give up personal desires for the sake of the clan, or even the wellbeing of Soul Society**__. __**Fear not the sadness and loneliness that would come after, hold your pride high and remember who you are born as and who I've made you into, because that is also who you are supposed to be. Where is the balance in this, you ask? I know not, but I am certain sacrifices are necessary when weighing selfish wants and selfless decisions with two hands that hold the immense power you are bestowed with**__."_

The dramatic recital stopped then, and it was clear what Subame was trying to imply.

"Sacrifice it is then!" Someone had yelled.

"Ginrei-sama is right. His guidance transcends time and reaches us tonight!"

"Oh, such memorable words from the late Kuchiki Lord. Why have we not thought of consulting his greatness before this…"

"Kuchiki-sama, please heed the advice. Your personal wants should be surrendered…"

Byakuya reopened his eyes and cast his sight upon the wretched world. It was a lost battle.

* * *

The moment he held her hand and listlessly brought her away from the meeting hall, he thought it was a very appropriate moment to cry, desperately and without dignity. He didn't care if he was a man. But a part of him still wanted to fight. When was the last time he didn't get what he wanted?

Oh yes, that time when Hisana left at the premature stage of their marriage.

Byakuya watched Rukia's face fall in hopelessness and bent down to whisper in her ear. But all words rolled themselves agonizingly back to his heart as he accurately sensed the dying of her flame—the one that used to burn bright and captured every thread of his mind. She was giving up on fighting against her fate. She was giving up on him.

"Rukia."

She did not look up. She walked on, her hand still in his, but colder than before.

* * *

Countdown to the wedding: ZERO

* * *

She suddenly couldn't recall how it all came to this—her wedding day. How unbelievably fast had time passed her, and how equally unbelievably miserable she felt in the kimono she didn't remember putting on.

'Unbelievable' seemed to be the key word of her life right now.

She honestly believed everything could be turned around and she would be headed to her happily-ever-after instead of being on the way to the Seiryu mansion to a certain doom she didn't even know the means to define.

Correction, she _almost_ believed that.

It was a lost battle, and she was about to accept it all.

* * *

She let him hold her hand as they moved to the awaiting carriage. The same icy fingers curled around his, as lifeless as before. They were both silent and she couldn't bring herself to ponder what was on his mind. She briefly acknowledged that there was a weeping voice in her head that muttered repeatedly, "Never wanted anyone but you."

He brushed a strand of stray hair away from her face, an action she already grew used to. This knowledge was not comforting at all, so she flinched away, though a little too late. She felt her eyes well up in tears.

She was not given the chance to check if he had seen them, as he timely covered her face with the veil that matches her white kimono. The last she saw of him was the distinct curve of his jaw and the delicate fingers that soon warmed her cheeks through the thin white cloth for a fraction of a second. Then, she was left alone.

* * *

She heard footsteps approaching as she sat dutifully in her carriage. The familiar reiatsu washed over her senses and she resisted the urge to speak. _Never wanted anyone but you. Don't leave._

Her veil was partially lifted off and his breath hit the exposed area of her face. He kissed her. Perhaps a little too rushed, too abruptly, too concentrated with sorrow, he bruised her lower lip.

"Remember that I loved you," his voice ghosted after they separated from the final kiss. She didn't cry at that, and his face was a carbon print of the well-known 'Ice King of the Sixth', expressionless and soulless like the gloom of a town already swept by a passing hurricane, though she couldn't see it.

_I still do and always will_, he added in his head as he stepped away from the carriage.

She heard the curtains of the carriage door rustle and fall obediently to its original position. She lifted her veil to look at her right palm. In it was a folded piece of paper that he managed to push into her hand during the kiss. There was a faint smell of fresh ink. He had just written something on it, she deduced.

What was the point of leaving her a token if a marriage without love was what she's getting into? She questioned the inner walls of the dark red wooden carriage, glancing out through the window blinds to see the excited faces of Kuchiki servants.

And just a few feet away, Byakuya gave his consent for the leading marcher to begin the journey to Northern Seireitei. Yukina stood at the very front of the marching band, a look of understanding on her face as she bowed to the Head of the Clan.

"Are you sure you do not want to take my place?" she asked solemnly as she mounted a smaller carriage situated in front of Rukia's.

"You are more fitting to be our representative in such occasions, dear aunt. You know I am never fond of social events," Byakuya replied.

"Yet this is the only social event that matters," she tried.

"I will not be joining you." With that he stepped aside, turned around and gave one look over his shoulder before walking away.

* * *

Realisation dawned on her the moment she unfolded the note in her hand. It wasn't Byakuya-sama's handwriting…but whose?

_Please believe that I would want you to live a life paved with the least regrets and pained decisions. You will always have my forgiveness, for this is the amount of faith I have in you, a faith that I will hold till the day I die and will flourish as you proudly hold the position of both Head of Clan and Division Captain. Outdo me, if you must. Dare to do things that I have never done._

Ginrei-sama!

_Another letter? No…_ Rukia touched the edge of the paper and noted how it was torn from an originally larger piece. What she held in her hands was the last paragraph of Kuchiki Ginrei's written words for his only grandson… the paragraph Subame graciously left out. Why did Byakuya want to show her this?

Rukia flipped the paper over to find Byakuya's own handwriting on the back of the letter.

_It matters not another gets to keep you. It matters not that you let him. You will always have my forgiveness, for this is the amount of love I have in you. 'So be it', I would tell the rest of the world. Because, even when I cannot have you, you will always have me._

A tear fell.

She reached into her kimono and tugged _it_ out from her waistband.

She watched another tear soaked through the hem of her sleeve, leaving a grayish dot on the fabric.

Now unsheathed,_ it_ shone brightly, despite the limited sunlight coming through the window.

The Kuchiki Blade of Senkai Gate. Her fingers traced the wooden hilt and experimentally brushed the tip of the golden blade. It didn't hurt. But his words from that faithful night did.

…**you are responsible for my wellbeing.**

More gray spots formed on her kimono and the golden light reflected off the blade momentarily made the ugly world around her looked just a tad bit prettier. Her blurry vision probably helped too.

**I'll keep the dagger… I would like to remember that I have you as my heart and that you have me as yours to protect too.**

That was her promise. Did he think she would break that? Unconditional forgiveness was one thing that comes with true love, but he should know that unconditional devotion to avoid the need for forgiveness was probably another thing that comes with it too.

She listened to the wheels of the carriage grinding against the ground as she swayed rhythmically to the left and right due to the movement. She couldn't speak. She felt choked by her soundless sobbing.

_I love you._

* * *

**I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND THAT THE WEDDING IS NOT TRADITIONAL JAPANESE. I USED SOME CHINESE ELEMENTS AS I FIGURED THAT WOULD FIT THE STORY BETTER (CARRIAGES, MARCHING BANDS ETC). THANK YOU, THOSE WHO REVIEWED AND ADDED THIS STORY TO THEIR ALERTS SO FAR AND I'M TRULY SORRY THAT IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPLOAD THIS.**

* * *

CHAPTER 13: DOOMSDAY


	14. Chapter 13

Hello people! This chapter is going to be short. It's the 1st half of my two-part finale for this fiction and I hope you'll like the ending. Thank you all for reviewing the previous chapters. Sometimes I get really interesting comments but I didn't quite have time to reply all the time or couldn't reply because the reviews were anonymous. I was quite taken aback by the recent feedback - I didn't expect my writing to be a tearjerker... =] and for those who were upset by Byakuya's surrender...

Well, read on! And of course, please review. =)

* * *

**CHAPTER 13: DOOMSDAY (PART 1)  
**

_Things feel so wrong. I'm getting married to the woman I love._

_So very wrong._

_I hear the footsteps, the whispers, and the joyous music that floated through the corridor outside my room. I'm really getting married._

_And I know she, probably nearing the mansion right now, must feel this too—this foreboding fear of losing something dear._

_I am prepared to lose her any second soon. A suicidal bride, maybe? She does wield her katana well… Perhaps a last minute runaway act, fighting off all my best men to escape before the ceremony is over…_

_She is prepared to lose the love of her life by wedding me. I know that must be true. How hard was it for her to leave Kuchiki Byakuya, I wonder?_

_The elderly maid is calling me. "Time to proceed to the main hall, Seiryu-sama," she says._

_I take a brief look at myself in the mirror. At least I _look_ happy._

_And what was I talking about? Losing Rukia?_

_I never even had her in the first place._

_So to hell with it! Fear or not, this is destiny. Destiny decided this wedding must come to be. Maybe the gods pitied me. Maybe she could learn to love me._

_To hell with it._

* * *

Rukia fidgeted in her carriage, almost tearing Byakuya's letters to shreds. _Why is he doing this? If Ginrei-sama wasn't the problem, why didn't he save her? Why! Just giving me a note so that I know he loves me?_

**It matters not another gets to keep you. It matters not that you let him. You will always have my forgiveness, for this is the amount of love I have for you. 'So be it', I would tell the rest of the world. Because, even when I cannot have you, you will always have me.**

She read it again, wiping off her tears before folding the note neatly away.

_Byakuya-sama always does things with reasons, does he not?_ She asked bitterly. She couldn't understand his intentions this time. Did she break him so badly that he no longer held rationality as strongly as he used to?

_No, he's unbreakable. He's Kuchiki Byakuya. And I'm his sister. His sister. His sister-in-law._

_This is how things should be._

_My story is suddenly making perfect sense. No dramatic romance, no unexpected turn of events, no happily-ever-after._

_I did not wake up with my face buried in his neck. I did not see him with that pained expression resembling a boy in need of care. I did not hold his hand under the cherry blossoms that night when his tall shadow covered the path in front of us as we walked away from the moon._

_He's Nii-sama._

_I did not kiss his cheek in the morning and placed the kenseikan in his hair. I did not hear his rage when he defied the Elders for my sake. I did not hear him whisper he loved me in my ear when no one else was around._

_He's given me up. He is sending me away. It's my last day as Kuchiki Rukia, his most beloved sister._

_Tomorrow the Lady of Seiryu will not remember who she is today._

Silently Rukia placed the note on the side of the carriage seat. Then, just a little bit hesitantly, she dropped her Senkai Blade on top of it.

"Kuchiki Rukia, you are not coming with me," she declared, staring at the lifeless blade and the piece of paper. "You are dead, now and forever."

* * *

Renji and Ichigo sat next to each other. The lieutenant had a constipated look on his face while the substitute shinigami sighed for the umpteenth time since their arrival to the Seiryu grounds.

"I really want to say 'I told you so' but I'm just so… So freaking depressed right now!"

"Be quiet Ichigo. We're not alone you idiot…" Renji looked away from his friend, for once losing all fighting spirit to retort at all.

Renji's attempt of silencing Ichigo obviously did not work and attracted the attention of another shinigami present. "I'm sure it will work out the way you want things to," a voice joined in the two bickering fighters.

"Ukitake-taicho?" Renji lifted his fist off Ichigo's jaw and turned to look at the long-haired captain, who smiled in greeting before sitting down in an adjacent seat.

"I was banking on her to be my next lieutenant," Ukitake said absentmindedly. "Ahh, I see that 'Important Someone' is not showing up… yet."

"Chh, Byakuya? That bastard… I can't believe he let this happen," Ichigo huffed in annoyance.

"Who else is coming, really… This is… quite a wedding," Renji commented while looking around the hall, trying to spot other familiar faces. Well, Kuchiki-taicho and Kurotsuchi-taicho aside, all Gotei 13 captains and lieutenants were present. There was Kyouraku who had quietly slipped into the seat next to Ukitake, followed by his lieutenant Nanao. In front of them sat Hinamori and Hitsugaya who was glaring at the empty seat next to him. _Rangiku-san must be alcohol-hunting_.

"Seeing that the old man himself is here—he's concerned about the building crisis after all—the rest of the Gotei didn't want to miss the fun," Ukitake gestured towards the Soutaicho who was seated in the middle of the first row.

"What did you say about things working out again, Juushiro?" Ichigo asked.

"Let's just say I have faith in my kohai (junior)."

"Yeah, Byakuya-bo better make me proud!"

"Yoruichi-san!" Renji and Ichigo turned to look at the woman simultaneously. With Urahara on tow she sat in the row behind them… right next to Kurosaki Isshin.

"God it's sooo good to see old friends here!" Isshin went into a crying fit. "My son over here refused to talk to me ever since I got here! Kisuke, it's you isn't it? The one who has been such a bad influence to him that he…" he stopped, almost in utter shock as he stared.

"I can't believe we are both here. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother listening to Uryuu."

"Ishida Ryuuken," Isshin smiled goofily.

At this Ichigo gasped in surprise, but was denied the opportunity to speak when Inoue, who was standing behind his Quincy friend, glomped him. "Kurosaki-kun! Chad can't come today… He said he doesn't want to be a part of urm, a sad event! What's going to happen? Do you have a plan? Will I… Will I get to see Rukia-san again?"

"Ryoka, shut the hell up. Trying to sleep here," a gruff voice made its way through the group's chatter.

"Kenpachi…" Ichigo swallowed.

Together with Ikkaku, Yumichika and of course, the pink furball, Zaraki sat in the far end of the row in front of them with his eyes closed. Unohana-taicho, Kotetsu-fukutaicho, Hanatarou, and the twin third seats of Squad 13 sat behind the members of Squad 11.

"Ichigo," Yoruichi leaned towards the carrot-top's ear and whispered, "Just so you know, Kisuke and I…"

Ichigo was still busy scanning the crowd, spotting Kira, Hisagi and Komamura entering the hall.

"…got Soifon to do us a favour. She's out there with her team—security control. She'll let Byakuya-bo through when he comes, and more importantly, when he leaves."

"Wha… What if he doesn't come?"

"Disappointment kills the cat," the woman replied lamely.

Quite a wedding indeed.

* * *

**She stood up and half-ran to him, and he readied himself for a hug. Upon contact, Rukia buried her face in the crook of his neck, his scarf soft against her cheek.**

The carriage had stopped. Rukia forced the flashbacks out of her mind. Panic was slowly ebbing through her conscience. And the face of her 'brother' still haunted her.

"**Rukia, this is definitely a good start but when I said 'allow the annulment' it doesn't necessary mean a guaranteed termination of the engagement. What we have now is the simple consent from the Gotei and Central 46 to break the agreement of marriage, not direct intervention. In other words, we will still have to deal with the Elders."**

She remembered that day he gave her hope of getting out of this mess. Now she wished she could hate him and the Kuchiki Elders. If only if she was shallow enough to do that.

"We're here, Rukia dear," Yukina's hand held hers as she was guided out of the carriage. Her veil blocked the view of the Seiryu gates, but Rukia knew it would be a sight to behold. She felt the air tense. The people around her must be in awe and fueled with anticipation. The gate creaked open and the guards of Seiryu bowed and shouted "The Kuchiki Princess has arrived" in unison. She could only cringe.

"**Nevertheless you would be happy to know that in view of our family's loyal services and the fact that he wishes to keep you as a shinigami, Yamamoto Sou-taicho has accepted my personal request, if all else fails."**

Bothered by the unwelcomed memory, Rukia drew a long breath to calm her nerves. _Wait, what personal request?_ He never got to tell her. _What request?_

* * *

OKAY FOLKS! IT'S OBVIOUS NOW, ISN'T IT? WHAT'S BYAKUYA PLANNING TO DO?


	15. Chapter 14

I know, I know... For those who loyally waited for this finale have probably half-forgotten the storyline by now. My sincere apologies. I procrastinated and spent too much time editing the same scenes over and over again.

Forgive me?

Anyway, here's the last chapter (though I'm considering an epilogue, so feel free to remind me what I've left out here).

By the way, just in case you're still confuse by my format, **Bold**: flashbacks; _Italics_: thoughts.

-Drumroll!-

* * *

CHAPTER 14: DOOMSDAY (PART 2)

"**Nevertheless you would be happy to know that in view of our family's loyal services and the fact that he wishes to keep you as a shinigami, Yamamoto Sou-taicho has accepted my personal request, if all else fails."**

Bothered by the unwelcomed memory, Rukia drew a long breath to calm her nerves. _Wait, what personal request?_ He never got to tell her. _What request?  
_

* * *

Byakuya was not sure if the ceremony was over; however he was certain that she was in there.

The door was rudely pushed opened and he stepped in to be met with a million astonished faces. He rapidly scanned the hall. Yet he couldn't draw a conclusion—_is she wedded? _He pondered, more panicked than he would like himself to be as the questions that hung in the air accompanied the shock of the guests. He dare not look at her face for fear of what he might find.

"Isn't that…"

"He was the one who adopted…"

"I was wondering why he didn't show…"

"…one of the most feared Taichos..."

He listened, but no one was answering his doubts. And he finally decided that he didn't care. He was here for Rukia and he would take her home.

The priest cleared his throat for attention, breaking the ice. "Welcome, Kuchiki-sama. We're glad to have your presence during this joyous celebration of the union between Shishio-sama and your most precious sister. Once you're seated, we will continue the ceremony." Somehow, the word 'precious' struck a heartstring and the sense of panic in Byakuya rose to uncontrollable levels. He was still, deep in thought and straightened his emotionally neutralized face. While the notion of 'sister' was already a problem under such circumstances, he was horrified by the fact that he couldn't come up with any valid reasons to stop the wedding, even though the ceremony was not yet over.

**The Soutaicho set a stern stare at the Sixth Division Captain. "You have changed, Kuchiki-taicho."**

"**Perhaps."**

"**You are not satisfied. I can tell. The old you wouldn't have let your annoyance show. But I can see it now, as clear as day. She is indeed an asset, having this much power over you. So, having the Central 46 allow the annulment of the engagement between Kuchiki Rukia and Seiryu Shishio is not enough, I presume?"**

"**It is indeed far from what I am set to achieve with this meeting, Yamamoto-Soutaicho."**

**The old man smirked at the man before him. "I like that look on your face now. Ginrei would be angry with that defiant glint in your eyes but…"**

**Byakuya raised his eyebrow at the sudden mention of his grandfather's name. The Soutaicho hesitated mid-sentence, and Byakuya could tell that he almost gave up completing the sentence at all.**

**Almost. "...but pissing him off was one of my hobbies, when circumstances allowed, of course."**

**Byakuya took a step forward to the sitting figure. "And I believe this is one of those circumstances you are talking about." He got a grunt in reply.**

**Seconds passed before the hard thump of the old man's stave against the ground was heard. There was a fire, in both men's eyes, right after the sound echoed across the meeting room. "Do not expect physical assistance from me," the Soutaicho finally spoke.**

"**I do not need it. Nor would I ask for those of the other captains. They need not get involve."**

"**Very well, Kuchiki. So which would it be? Now, or the wedding day?"**

"**It would be overly rash to take action now. I will wait. I do not want to cause unnecessary damage when there's still hope."**

"**And strike just before it's too late? I wonder, are you a man of patience or a man overly devious for your own good? You do realise you might fail in a last minute attempt to save her."**

"**Yamamoto-Soutaicho," Byakuya hardened his gaze at the other man. "I… do **_**not**_** fail."**

"The wedding will not proceed," he finally spoke.

His sudden declaration stunned most in the hall, but not Shishio and Rukia.

"Why so, Kuchiki-sama?" It was the priest.

"An explanation is not necessary when the result cannot be altered. Stop the ceremony and dismiss the guests."

More hushed whispers filled the hall and his patience was running thin. He wanted to go home. And he was not leaving without Rukia.

"But Kuchiki-sama! This is a wedding! You can't…"

The priest was not given the chance to finish.

"**Yamamoto-Soutaicho," Byakuya hardened his gaze at the other man. "I… do **_**not**_** fail."**

**A smirk once again formed on the etched face of the oldest Shinigami of Sereitei. "We shall see about that. You may take your leave now."**

**Byakuya stared at him questioningly.**

"**Yes, your unspoken request, of course, it's granted, if that's what you're wondering."**

"**And the consequences?"**

"**If you succeed, I will halt the punishments that would most certainly be issued by the Central 46. If you fail, then I promise you death, either by the blades of Gotei 13 or by execution from the Central 46. Satisfied, Kuchiki-taicho?"**

"**Thank you."**

"**Try not to kill anybody."**

"**I will keep that in mind." With that, Byakuya stepped out of the room and shut the heavy double doors behind him. Just faintly, he could hear the Soutaicho mumbling right after his exit.**

"**Do not make me regret granting you the permission to use military force for your personal wants… Kuchiki Byakuya."**

Byakuya's reiatsu exploded and he saw a number of guests passing out and falling to the ground. Some were kneeling on the ground, coughing excessively. He was a Taicho, what did they expect? His reiatsu was already a weapon. Elders of the Seiryu clan were seen shouting for guards while Shishio, relatively calm and composed, still held the bride's hand. But that was _his_ Rukia's hand. Everything he saw was not supposed to happen, Byakuya mentally screamed in fury. His Rukia was standing in the middle of the mess, still strong and resistant to his battle aura. He vaguely registered that she wore an expression that was a cross between awe and shock.

"Nii…" he heard her whisper.

Then, a small army of guards entered from the side entrance of the hall, holding reiatsu-charged spears. Efficiently they formed a circle formation around Byakuya, but in the eyes of the Sixth Division captain it was a worthless effort. He unsheathed Senbonzakura and with the simple two-syllable command the sword obediently scattered into uncountable petal blades that dispersed in every single direction. He was careful to avoid fatal blows, sending the guards fleeing and most dropped unconscious to the floor due to the sharp air pressure brought by the rapidly moving blades. The windows were mercilessly shattered, glassware was shred to a million pieces, and the same happened for the extravagant room decorations.

The hall was now reduced to perfect chaos: unbearable shrieks of fear and noises of destruction.

"Hand her over," his order boomed, directed at Seiryu Shishio.

"She's my bride, brother-in-law. I'm glad that you made it here in time, but your dramatic entrance is quite overboard, don't you think?"

He didn't bother to reply. The next thing he noticed was that the remaining guards had adopted a new strategy—surrounding his unarmed woman. They were threatening him to back down. He watched, as their pointed spears positioned themselves close to her throat, almost touching her. A tremor of the hand would cut her.

But these people didn't know Rukia. She was a lieutenant-level fighter. She was already close to bankai. He remembered how his heart swelled with pride as he watched her practise in the dead of the night, sometimes sculpting skyrocketing pillars of ice on a neglected part of his lawn. Even if they decided to make a move, she was more than capable of saving herself. Nevertheless, that didn't mean that Byakuya was not riled by the situation. His _pride_ was never meant to be held hostage, no matter the situation.

"Hand her over or all that'll be left of the Seiryu's property would be ruins," he masked his irritation, but didn't care to withdraw the menace in his words.

However Shishio didn't seem too affected. Byakuya stood impatiently as the Seiryu Lord spoke to the guards. "Lower your weapons. She's a Seiryu too. Hurting her would be a serious offence. You have the duty to protect both of us," Shishio said teasingly, deliberately ignoring the other man's threat.

"I see that there isn't any room for negotiation," Byakuya announced as he held Rukia's stare with his own eyes. She was there, standing directly in view, although the thought of her dressed so dangerously beautiful for another man inspired a little jealousy in him. His knew his stare was icy, and it didn't soften as their eyes met. He was beyond angry, but at the same time greatly relieved. He made it just in time. Everything could still be fixed, right? Her purple eyes were wet with tears, and she had not made a move to free herself and close the gap between them. There was no actual gestural communication from her, but he could tell that she wanted to talk to him. She was staring at him with a certain look, one that weighed like a thousand of hopeful prayers, willing him to hold her, to protect her, to save her, to love her. So as his reply to her plead, his blades formed a gush of pink wave, rushing from the various corners of the hall towards her petite form.

* * *

"I so did not see that coming," Ichigo was miraculously still sitting in the same spot since arrival, eyes glued to the catastrophe named Kuchiki Byakuya. He saw Renji out of the corner of his eye. The redhead had released Zabimaru in Shikai form, fanning the petals of Senbonzakura with his the length of his blade in an attempt to protect the unarmed who were still struggling to get out of the place.

"Oi, are you gonna help or not?" Renji shouted at Ichigo.

"Er… yeah," the latter answered absentmindedly. _I still can't believe he would do this. This! Kuchiki Byakuya, doing this!_

"Ichigo! Taicho's reiatsu is shifting! I think he's going to Bankai soon! Get here you assh*le or I'll have to go Bankai too and this place would definitely go down, you hear me? Ichigo!"

* * *

More of the Seiryus' men fell and Shishio was being forced away by his own retreating guards who were determined to remove their master from danger.

"You do realise I'm trying my best not to kill anyone, Seiryu," Byakuya glared. "Bankai. Senbon…"

"Oh my, is that really a good idea, Byakuya-bo?" Yoruichi's voice ghosted past his ear as she flashstepped out of the way before he could even catch a glimpse of her. Byakuya returned his attention to Rukia. Her eyes were wide with horror. And he got lost in them. Before he knew it, he was gripping the hilt of his katana. Senbonzakura didn't make it to the floor.

Shishio did not let go of her hand, his vibrant expression dampened by the screams of his guards and her longing eyes set on the fuming noble on the other side of the hall. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to him just before Senbonzakura finally ruined the moment for him, firstly blocking his sight with pinkness and then hazardously hovering above his outstretched arm that struggled to hold on to his almost-bride's hand, leaving him no choice but to reluctantly release her from him, and from the heresy that was his selfishness and the death of her love for someone else. He didn't even have time to decide if he would feel better without the guilt of killing another's love by doing so. He didn't have time to realise that his actions were justified. Perhaps after the mess he would think that there was never glory for he who sacrificed and that there was nothing gratitude or apologies could do to make the situation any more bearable.

Rukia was surrounded by floating petals that gracefully danced with much heaviness. The wielder of Senbonzakura had turned away from her, his captain's haori swishing behind him with a similar depressive fashion. Tentatively she put one foot forward. She needed to get to where Byakuya was, desperately. The petals moved behind her encouragingly, but never ceased to dance around her as a protective shield. The remaining Seiryu guards finally gave up and backed away, some dropping their weapons in fear as the lethal petals burst forth in defense.

"Nii…Byakuya-sama!" And she ran to him, the petals following her every movement.

He finally stopped as her footsteps neared, unwilling to look back at her as she hugged him from behind. "Rukia," he responded softly, "I am not in the best mood, forgive me."

She detected the laced anger in his forcefully softened voice and let go. "It's alright. Let us leave?"

"Yes," he walked on, sheathing his sword, hearing her footfalls tagging along not far behind.

"I'm sorry," her voice barely reached him. He was not sure if she was talking to him. Her pace had slowed, he noted. _Perhaps taking one last look at the wedding hall?_ "I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice lowered with remorse.

He decided not to enquire to whom and for what was she apologising, as all that mattered was that Kuchiki Rukia was certainly in love with himself. "We should shun-po," he said.

Together, the couple took flight.

* * *

"You made us leave instead of stopping him. I don't understand, Yama-jii," Shunsui, holding a sa-ke bottle and with an arm slung over his lieutenant's shoulders, smiled at his teacher.

"You don't have to," Yamamoto-Soutaicho glanced up at the sky as he stood in front of the Seiryu maingates with the rest of the Gotei standing behind him.

"Ahh." Shunsui reluctantly dropped the topic, giving Ukitake a knowing look.

Ukitake returned the non-verbal exchanged and sighed to himself. "What one wouldn't do for love, huh?" _Kuchiki sure overdid himself this time._

"No, Juushiro. What you should be amazed of is what we," Shunsui glanced at Yamamoto before continuing, "are willing to do for the sake of someone else's happiness."

"Oh the romance in the air! Taicho, stop frowning like that. It's a wedding, you know?" Matsumoto's voice broke everyone's train of thought.

"It's a _ruined_ wedding, Matsumoto."

"But Taicho!"

"Be quiet."

* * *

"What… is that thing!" Ichigo and Renji exclaimed simultaneously.

"Why, it's a Spirit Particle Recombining Machine," Urahara replied effortlessly, a remote control in each hand, maneuvering a gigantic robot that resembled a lawn mower.

The duo could only gape in reply.

"It rearranges spirit particles. In other words I'm using it to fix things made from spirit particles that have been forcefully torn apart, reassembling them to look exactly like what it was before."

"Way to think ahead, Kisuke." Yoruichi flashstepped into the messy hall and gave the inventor a slap on the shoulder.

"Not at all, Yoruichi-san." Urahara pressed several buttons before looking up at her. "I was told to do this."

"You were!" Ichigo and Renji exclaimed again.

Urahara grinned, "My brilliant invention. Mayuri's transportation. Paid by the House of Kuchiki. But all thanks to the Sou-taicho."

* * *

"Why didn't you come with me to the wedding if you were planning to do that?" Rukia asked timidly as she rested her head on his lap, looking at the moving leaves on the ground.

He looked down at her, his hair, free of the Kenseikan, falling across his eyes as his own shadow shaded her face from the evening sun. "I went to their grave." Before she could respond he looked away, opting to cast his gaze on the steady stream that flowed through the Rukongai village. Behind them, from where he sat he could hear, the whispers of the villagers who were obviously unnerved by the appearance of a shinigami captain and a woman in bridal attire.

"Your parents'?"

"And Hisana's."

"Oh."

He ran his fingers through her hair, removing the accessories in it. When he was done, he looked at her again, his eyes finally soft and once again readable. To his surprise, he saw tears brimming in hers.

"What…did Byakuya-sama say to them?" She stared straight into his eyes, an emotion he could clearly identified surfaced on her face—uncertainty.

He frowned, not knowing what she wanted to know about his conversations with the deceased, but decided to tell her the complete truth nevertheless. "I told my parents that I was determined to soil their reputation for you." He knew that didn't come out as indirect as he wanted it to, but he knew too that she would be hurt by the comment no matter how he phrased it.

"And?" She unknowingly grabbed his sleeve.

"I told Hisana… that I can no longer protect you as said in the promise I made her."

She frowned. "But you _are_ protecting me."

"I am, and always will, but never because of that promise, Rukia. It has become impossible to hold true to the duty of being your brother." _I love you far too much for that._

Tears wet her eyelashes and slid down her cheeks. She smiled bitterly at him and reached up to brush his hair away from his face before dropping her hand back to her sides. He remained silent and watched her, gently brushing her hair with his fingers. He knew her bitterness was for another man, but at the moment where her tears of unknown emotions shone under the orange rays of the sun he didn't have the heart to be jealous. And with her so comfortably lying on his lap he couldn't have felt more assured that they would be alright together.

"Byakuya-sama," she spoke again.

He searched her eyes, wordlessly telling her that he was listening.

"I love you, too." Her voice was firm and trusting. And she shut her eyes as the glare of the setting sun was aimed too accurately at her as it sunk lower to the ground. She cuddled closely to his warmth as he bent down to kiss her on the mouth and wipe away the tears with his thumbs.

* * *

Months Later

* * *

Her feet thudded lightly on the wooden floor as she padded through the corridor, musing if the entire Sixth Division could sense her anxiety. She knew he could, for sure, as her reiatsu was frizzy and unbound as she neared his office.

"Rukia," he acknowledged the moment she slided the door open.

Beaming and eyes ablazed, she strode up to his desk before kneeling down as per expected of a unseated shinigami. "Kuchiki-taicho, may I have your attention?" She beamed at him.

He glanced up from his paperwork and nodded at her, just a tad bit reluctantly putting his ink brush away. "Speak."

"I've been sent by Ukitake-taicho to inform you of my promotion."

"Sent?" His face was as expressionless as usual, but she anticipated his death glare and was therefore disappointed.

"Yes, sent."

"You do not see the need to tell me by your own will?"

"As a lowly unseated shinigami who do not belong to your squad, no." She smiled mischievously, knowing that she was mocking him. _What did you say, Byakuya-sama? Aren't we supposed to be professional at work, hmm?_

"Kuchiki Rukia," he began sternly, "shut the door behind you." He felt annoyance build up in him as he watched her do as she was told. _Is she being deliberately slow?_

Finally back to her kneeling position, Rukia smiled and waited for him to continue.

"Are we talking about your lieutenancy now? Or am I overestimating you?"

"Ukitake-taicho's exact words were, 'I am in dire need of a lieutenant but she's unfortunately too madly in love with Kuchiki-taicho to realise my predicament', so yes, we are talking about my lieutenancy," Rukia answered, her cheeks pink under his scrutiny.

"Really." The man gave her a bored expression before standing up.

"I'm sent here to inform you of this development and also to hear your objections and report them back to Ukitake-taicho."

"So that he could counter accordingly, how ingenious of a plan," Byakuya replied with malice, approaching the petite shinigami as he spoke. "His health must be failing him greatly. I would have expected him to come to me in person instead of sending a messenger to coax me into agreeing."

_Coax?_ Rukia was sure that her face was on fire. "Ukitake-taicho has always been wise in assigning tasks to his subordinates."

Without a word he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a standing position. She stared at him in surprise as his grip tightened. "You came here with confidence, did you not? To think that you can speak up to me this way… how insolent and naïve. What do you have up in your sleeves, Kuchiki Rukia? What makes you and that Taicho of yours so sure that I would comply?"

"I…" She gulped and fought for words.

"Speak while you can. Do not stutter." He made use of his death glare and was inwardly triumphant that she fidgeted more at that.

"Because, you wouldn't be able to stop my promotion no matter what you have to say. Ukitake-taicho was just eager to know what your reaction would be."

"More importantly, _you_ wanted to see my reaction for yourself, is that right?"

She nodded shyly but quickly resumed smiling at him with subtle smugness. "Aren't you going to ask why you wouldn't be able to stop it?"

He gave a soft grunt. _I already know._

And her smile was wiped off her face when he forcefully crushed her body to his chest and just as arrogantly yanked her head back so that he could pull her into a tongue wrestle. Her hands, with limited freedom, hung onto his captain's haori for dear life. In such intimacy she could feel his strong heartbeats drumming onto her smaller frame, his fingers pressing onto her skin as they move across her back. She briefly wondered if he would bruise her that way, but dismissed the thought as multitasking failed her and she focused solely on responding to his advance. She made soft noises as he mercilessly invaded her mouth, occasionally breaking contact to allow breathing only to resume the assault by licking his way up to her earlobes. In between nips and licks he whispered, "I love it when you distract me from work." Minutes passed and he finally slowed to a gentle but passionate kiss before giving her body a light squeeze and releasing her.

She was glowing red and he took the liberty to rearrange his attire while she struggled to regain a normal rate of breathing. Her mind was blank and she could only watch him stupidly, flushed and embarrassed at the unexpected turn of events in the office.

Deciding that she was not regaining her composure anytime soon he smoothened her hair and straightened her shihakusho collar for her. "Rukia," he murmured near her ear, "that was my reaction to your news. Good luck reporting it back to your captain." He smiled at her and turned away to resume his paperwork.

She knelt once again and spoke with her head low, more from embarrassment than actual humility, "Thank you, Kuchiki-taicho. I will take my leave now."

She was about to leave when he spoke again. "Rukia, show _it_ to me tonight." _I'm proud of you._

She stepped out of the door and looked at him, full of happiness and love, "Of course, Rukia will gladly...

...perform her Bankai for Byakuya-sama."

* * *

**REMEMBER TO REVIEW! AND THANK YOU ALL FOR READING MY VERY FIRST FANFIC. YOU ARE LOVED.  
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PS: And Byakuya remained distracted during work for two hours afterwards. He was constantly plagued by thoughts of his fiancee...More accurately thoughts of defeating his fiancee's bankai and then taking advantage of her after the battle.**  
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	16. Epilogue

Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I hope you haven't forgotten this fic entirely? I had trouble coming up with the perfect closure while avoiding cliches. It took waaaaaaaaaaaaay longer than expected to complete this.

I've tried my best to give Shishio fans out there the perfect ending for him. (Once again, I would like to thank those who showed interest towards this OC. It was very flattering.)

Writing this fic (MY VERY FIRST FIC!) was an amazing experience and I am so thankful to those who reviewed and added it to their favourites. Hopefully this epilogue won't disappoint. I know there is still room for improvement, so do drop comments or suggestions after reading, alright? =)

Ladies and gentlemen, it's the EPILOGUE! This time there are references to the last chapter and also the prologue. Unohana-taicho plays quite an important role here, somehow.

* * *

EPILOGUE

"**I'm so sorry," she whispered to him just before Senbonzakura finally ruined the moment for him, firstly blocking his sight with pinkness and then hazardously hovering above his outstretched arm that struggled to hold on to his almost-bride's hand, leaving him no choice but to reluctantly release her from him, and from the heresy that was his selfishness and the death of her love for someone else. He didn't even have time to decide if he would feel better without the guilt of killing another's love by doing so. He didn't have time to realise that his actions were justified. Perhaps after the mess he would think that there was never glory for he who sacrificed and that there was nothing gratitude or apologies could do to make the situation any more bearable.**

* * *

"Is she well?" He raised an arm and dropped it across his eyes to block the glare of the sunlight sifting in through his window. He lay silently and almost regretfully as he waited for a response from the visitor.

"Well, of course, Seiryu-sama. That child is a social extraordinaire. Executions, untimely deaths in battles and even marriages, she escaped them all because of the people she surrounds herself with. That aside, she is skilled enough to survive… most of the time."

"And there's you too, Unohana-san, I shouldn't have worried. You are the best healer the world has ever known," Shishio managed a bitter smile. _And that brother of hers, I should have known. There simply isn't such thing as 'ill fate' that can't be avoided in that man's calculations… and overwhelming protectiveness._

"It's been a year," the female taicho stated as she bandaged her patient's right hand. The gash from a sword wound, so deep that one would wonder if the weapon had pierced through the palm, was still fresh with visible stitches. "You are a persistent man."

The taicho's voice was smooth and did not seem to hold any hint of curiousity, but Shishio knew that Unohana Retsu was not one to comment carelessly or pointlessly unless there was a purpose. She was daring him to deny it. She was testing the waters. He sighed. "Not persistent," he removed the arm from his face and turned to her, "just indulgent."

"A dangerous hobby, I would say."

"Ah."

This was the first time he came in contact with a member of the Gotei ever since the failed wedding. He was feeling slightly pressured by the unfamiliar presence of the female taicho, yet he couldn't resist asking about Rukia. _Rukia._ Her name had become a taboo in the Seiryu household. He himself had refrained from uttering it too.

"Who called you?" He asked her after a moment of silence.

"One of your men. I'm afraid that I do not recall having been told of his name when my Fukutaicho relayed the message," she replied.

"Oh." He eyed the bandages on his hand. Clearly the small talk was going nowhere. _Urgh, stupid unnerving stoic healer taicho._

"May I ask for what reason did you stab your own hand?"

_This was exactly what I don't want to talk about. _"It was an accident. Well, not really, but I didn't intend to, I assure you."

"Not really an accident? Were you hypnotized or under a trance to self-harm?"

"No! Unohana-san, please. Noble clan or not, I would like to avoid formalities and seriousness. And my little mishap here," he flexed the fingers of his bandaged hand, "is not worth a taicho's time. I appreciate your concern, nevertheless."

"If you insist…" The woman smiled.

* * *

BYAKUYA'S POINT OF VIEW

"Someone looks grumpy today," she grinned widely at me. I knew my expression had softened at the sight of her at the door. But I'm a man who brings work home and certain issues concerning my duties in the barrack just wouldn't dissolve in the light of her smile. My frown did not leave my face. Renji, together with a number of recruits, had ungraciously demolished a quarter of the sixth division. Very, very ungraciously.

"I made it home earlier that you," she continued with a cheery tone, probably accustomed to my silence. "though… I would still like you to… help me with shun-po now and then?" She seemed comfortable with having one-sided conversations with me, a fact that amuses me. Yet I adore her awkward confidence and the way her eyes wouldn't leave my face until I give her a positive response to her requests.

"Hn," I replied. "Come, we should be inside."

"Did something unusual happen outside the Gotei lately?" she suddenly asked as we headed to the dining hall.

"Not that I've heard of. Why do you ask?"

She laughed lightly before answering. "I don't know. It was probably just my imagination. Unohana-taicho has been giving me weird sideway glances when she thought I wasn't looking. No, she probably knew I was looking. I mean, she knows everything. Oh wait, Byakuya-sama! Doesn't that mean she was purposely giving me the creeps so that I would notice and…"

"Rukia." I put a hand at the small of her back, an action which I knew has calming effects on her.

She flushed (so perhaps it doesn't really have any calming effects) and I looked at her closely, awaiting a much logical response to my question.

"Unohana-taicho left Division Four days ago on a trip for reasons unspecified, but the rumour was that a member of a certain noble clan has fallen ill. Since her return she has been smiling a lot more at me for no apparent reason and… like I said, giving me the creeps."

I smiled, but she wasn't looking at me, but rather staring ahead with a haunted look on her face. I squared my jaw and grabbed her chin so that she could see the seriousness in my eyes. "Rukia, are you suggesting that I abuse my power as a captain and as the Head of the Clan to investigate such trivial matters to appease you? Even as my woman you have no right to…"

She took the bait. "That was not what I meant, Byakuya-sama! I did not imply… no, forget it. I, I was just telling you for the sake of telling! I'm sorry to have brought this up. Such poor timing I had, knowing that you are not in the best of moods since Renji smashed your office..."

I laughed, hard. And she stared. "Yes, he did 'smash' my office," I managed. I believe that there were already tears in my eyes. She still stared. I further amused myself when the thought 'purple goldfish' entered my mind at her loss of composure.

"Bya…"she finally closed her mouth. I ruffled her hair, a hobby which I deemed quite unhealthy because it's a waste of time. Nonetheless, her hair, soft as it is, is stubborn and would always return to its intended position despite my efforts. How annoying. I suppose only a night in my bed could change that.

And then I realised I was still laughing. She laughed along. Unohana obviously forgotten, oh, and Abarai Renji finally forgiven.

* * *

SHISHIO'S POINT OF VIEW

"Lady, for the hundredth time, I do not need you assistance." I knew she wouldn't listen. The previous 99 attempts to shoo her out of my room didn't work after all. Heck, I was told that she camped in my garden last night.

"Seiryu-sama, this is a mission I alone am assigned to. Do understand that I cannot return without accomplishing it. I will have to nurse you until Unohana-taicho gives me the word to leave." Her eyes shone, momentarily stunning me with her determination. I wondered if my eyes were as bright as hers in my annoyance and fury. Probably not. A man out of love and accused of self-harm probably looked as good as dead.

"My hand has healed." I stared hard at the girl, and attempted a glare. She was clad in a standard shinigami uniform and she looked rather small. Not just because she was petite but also because she seemed frail and in need of warmth or protection.

"You can't scare me with that look on your face. Your eyes… such a warm shade of brown, they look rather endearing. A glare doesn't fit your personality. At all!"

I decided to let her have a taste of her own medicine: ignore her words at all costs.

She was pale, as pale as Rukia, but lacked the air of confidence and potential battle aura that I had memorised during my short-lived…

Nevermind.

"Seiryu-sama?" The girl kneeling before me prompted. I had obviously spaced out and gave her a blank look during my lame train of thought. I decided to continue ignoring her.

I had concluded that she was probable one of those non-fighting typical Division Four shinigamis. But I have strong doubts that the others are as irritating and unmoving as this one.

Thank you very much, Unohana-san.

"**Noble clan or not, I would like to avoid formalities and seriousness. And my little mishap here…is not worth a taicho's time."**

I very much regretted having said that. Smart move, Unohana-san.

"Seiryu-sama? Seiryuuuuuu-sama?" The little female had scooted closer to the futon where I sat on, waving a hand before my face. I registered that she looked more worried that she should but I refused to give in to my compassion.

"Leave," my voice came out as a whisper but she flinched so I knew she heard it. I was growing tired. So tired. The uproar the Elders caused after the wedding, the demands that followed the meetings. It was simply depressing. Welcoming a hotheaded nurse with hospitality was not on my list of things to do.

She had long flowing black hair that glinted red when hit with sunlight. It reached the floor as she knelt. Her eyes were a prominent red. She looked precious—pale, frail, in need of warmth, yet possessing such a fiery personality so strongly shown in the colour of her eyes.

She finally stood up. I was momentarily relieved and, remembering the tiny flash of hurt she displayed when I first refused her in the morning, and the nagging thought that she might in fact need actual warmth since she camped last night, I spoke. "What's your name?"

"Kyouraku Mieko. Mi-e-ko."

I nodded and couldn't help but smile apologetically.

"Your eyes twinkle," she suddenly said.

I was dumbfounded by the irrelevance of her statement.

"They really do."

"You can leave now, Mieko." I looked away, tilting my head so streaks of brown covered my eyes. My eyes are nothing compared to her crimson orbs, but I will never tell her that.

"It's just like taicho said!" She smiled brilliantly. "You are a big softie!" She giggled and I raised my head to stare at her incredulously. And it was like she pointed out earlier, staring at people was not my specialty. She giggled more than before. She even added, "You don't seem to be able to take compliments, eh? Shishio-sama?"

So she had graduated to calling me by my given name. Fine.

"Leave!" I practically yelled.

She hurried to the door and gave me a huge smile before exiting and shamelessly declaring "I'll be back tomorrow, Shishio-sama!"

The door was shut. Till now I couldn't understand why and how, a sudden onslaught of thoughts occurred to me as I collapsed back into bed, mentally exhausted.

_Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow I would tell her that I don't particularly enjoy a female presence while I wallow in my sorrow. And that I know how pathetic that would sound. And that I stabbed my hand to feign madness in front of the Elders. And that I was sick of being ordered to marry people I do not know._

"My eyes…twinkle, huh?" I mumbled.

* * *

**The spark of life Rukia carries with her all the time… He noticed how bright it burns ever since her adoption, and how it shook in winds of change or times of crisis, and how it burst forward as though trying to claim his sense of logic and eat away his tight control on emotions.**

BYAKUYA'S POINT OF VIEW

I do not know why, but the brat frequents our manor ever since the Seiryu incident. For Rukia's sake, I tolerate the ruckus he always manages to create during his visits, but what I saw this wintery afternoon was not something I could forgive without a good fight.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, remove yourself from her this instant."

"Oh Byakuya, you're here!" he called out quite innocently, much to my annoyance.

"Explain yourselves," I stressed the use of plural and narrowed my eyes at Rukia.

The brat laughed impudently. "Jealous, aren't you?"

I glared.

Rukia smiled and remained quiet. I could tell that she was rather enjoying it.

"Geez, I know I overreacted when she told me the news. At first I was somewhat yelling at her for not telling me sooner and all y'know… And then she got all emotional during her speech so I hugged her, no big deal. Chill, Byakuya."

I removed my gaze from the brat's face to look questioningly at Rukia. Did she have an emotional break down during my absence? Was it something that happened to the 13th Division?

"How did the mission go?" she asked. She was providing Kurosaki Ichigo an escape opportunity. My worry for her overpowered my initial non-jealousy related anger, I spared the low life. As expected, he faded away from the scene, preferably away from the manor altogether.

"Successful. Zero casualties."

"I've missed you."

"I know." I let her lean on me as she remained seated on the garden bench while I stood before her.

"I finally found out why Unohana-taicho had been eyeing me so warily," she spoke with a certain tranquility which I found strangely unsettling. I readied myself for the big news that she was about to reveal. An illness? An inherited one, perhaps? The idea was horrifying.

"Hn?" I stroke the back of her neck with my thumb. Her skin was cold. She shouldn't be out here entertaining the Kurosaki brat in the snow, I chastised silently.

"She came to me when I was with Ukitake-taicho yesterday. She had long suspected that I…"

I held her tightly, almost begging her to get straight to the point.

"…that I am with child. Your child."

I froze.

"Upon examination, yesterday, it…has been confirmed. I…hope that it's a boy." She leaned away, loosening my grip to beam up at me. "Byakuya-sama?"

* * *

**Sometimes, when her spark blinded his rationality momentarily, he even believed that she was the best thing that could happen to him in a lifetime.**

* * *

"Rukia, I…"

"I already know Byakuya-sama. Me too."

* * *

**THAT'S THE END FOLKS.**

**THANK YOU FOR READING THIS FAR. A BIGGER THANK YOU TO FOLLOWERS WHO REVIEWED AND SHOWED ME THE VALUE OF MY WORK. YOU ARE LOVED.**

**P/S: If you could, do visit my community of romance fics "The Way Death Gods Love" where various Bleach pairings are featured.**


	17. Bonus Chapter

First of all, thank you all for the beautiful reviews and also for adding this fic to your favourites! It meant a lot to me, seeing that this was my first fic on .

Why another chapter so suddenly? Well, I picked up Bleach (both the manga and the anime) once again after months without it (because the recent arcs were not as... exciting) and aha! Finally, Byakuya and Rukia appeared together in the Fullbring Arc! That just reminded me how much I love this pairing and a writer's itch is not easy to deal with heheh but mind you, this bonus chapter is PG-13 (or more?)

I hope you're still familiar with my writing format... _Italics_ for thoughts, **Bold** for flashbacks.

Enjoy!

**BONUS CHAPTER**

Her eyes were closed. Her body remained under the heavy covers of their bed, and she was still, so much more than usual that he couldn't help but worry. She was pale too, and in the winter air her hair was cold to his touch, reminding him once again that she was indeed the wielder and creater of Sode no Shirayuki. Studying her delicate features with help from the first morning rays, he frowned.

_How fragile a being she was, and how lovable._

Two nights ago, she returned to him with a couple of gashes across her back. He remembered the ghastly red water in the bathroom when he helped clean her up and how she winced whenever he touched her wounds. He found himself frowning down at her again. And he remembered how that painful expression on her face magically transformed into one of relief and pure, absolute glee when she, hiding her bandages under her loose midnight blue yukata, cradled their baby in her arms that same night. Their little bundle of joy—the newborn never failed in putting a smile on his mother's face. The baby boy had been behaving fairly well, Byakuya noted, as there were almost no occasions where the parents have to attend to a crying fit…

**"He's already asleep," she turned to him after laying their son into the cradle.**

"**We should retire for the night as well, Rukia." He was leaning against the wall by the door, speaking softly, knowing that she could hear him across the room.**

"**Yes, yes, Byakuya-sama, we shall return to our chamber now," she replied in a sing-song voice, earning a glare from the man. She could only smile at that. Her smile widened when he offered her his hand as she approached the door.**

**They walked hand-in-hand in silence. But not for long.**

"**It was not necessary for you to help dress my wounds and to stay up late just because I wanted to see Natsu," she said quietly, secretly enjoying the swishing of his sleeve against her hand as he held it in his.**

"**I will always tend to you, and Natsu is my son. Do not make me speak more than needed, Rukia."**

**Unexpectedly she stopped in her tracks, clasping both of her hands around his, halting his steps. He was a few steps ahead but knowing full well of her intent he turned around to face her. On his face were signs of fatigue, of anticipation and of tenderness. Her large eyes stared bravely at him. Time seemed to have stopped.**

**And right there and then, on her tip-toes she kissed him full on the lips.**

Propping his head up with an arm, Byakuya twirled raven locks with his free hand as he continued watching the woman lying next to him. She was not moving, despite her alert nature. This fact alone triggered a series of bad memories. Yet once more he assured himself, _she must just be tired_. As though to ease his worries, her breath smoked out from her now parted lips. He smiled and traced the outline of her lips with a finger. Her mission was a success and from the reports her injuries were relatively minor to other members of the squad who had fought. Furthermore, her sound sleep should mean that the wounds were almost healed—they were, after all, treated by both Unohana and Kuchiki-taicho himself. An amused glint graced his eyes when he recalled how she was at first unable to lie down on her back even after having bandages in place.

**When he cracked an eye open to look at her, she had the most ridiculous pout. She had bolted up from the futon, looking at him with childish frustration while he was expressionless. He took seconds to read her, and…**

…**he closed his eyes to resume his sleep.**

**But she was Kuchiki Rukia. She was Kuchiki. This meant that she could pinch him for no particular reason. And oh, she did have a reason in this case—she couldn't sleep and he was going to fix that problem, because he could.**

"**Rukia," a half-groaned response.**

**He looked at her again, noting that her expression was the same as moments before but her silhouette was much clearer as the moon had risen. Soft silver light poured in from the windows, overwhelming her small form.**

**The loose yukata that was coming off her shoulder.**

**The tousled hair that framed her pale face.**

**Her hands on his arm, tugging and occasionally pinching him.**

**The determination in her childlike, innocent eyes.**

"**Rukia." He gave her his full attention. "If you can't lie down on your back, lie on your side."**

"**I tried," she moaned.**

**The lieutenant of 13****th**** Division, apparently, had to be cradled to sleep. He narrowed his eyes questioningly and finally, let out an inaudible sigh. "Come." He lifted the blanket off himself. "I'll hold you."**

**She nodded with just a hint of shyness before snuggling into his arms and rested her head on his chest, lowering herself carefully to avoid pressuring her wounds as he tugged on the blanket to cover both of their bodies.**

"**Hnngh," she made a muffled, satisfied noise.**

"**Goodnight," and he planted a kiss atop her head.**

Before he knew it, he had moved closer, closer and above her. He watched his hair fall forward, a dark waterfall casting shadows on her serene sleeping face. His finger, which had been lingering on her mouth, hesitated as he gazed at her longingly. But she was motionless in her deep slumber, her chest rising and falling while her breath fanned his face. She was freshly injured that night that he couldn't have made a move when she needed him like that. _Rukia, Rukia. If only if you had known…_

**The tousled hair that framed her pale face.**

**The loose yukata that was coming off her shoulder.**

"**I tried," she moaned.**

Byakuya wanted her so badly. _Rukia._

"**Hnngh," she made a muffled, satisfied noise.**

All hesitance left him and he pried her lips apart by lightly pulling her lower lip and, as silent as she was at the moment, he conquered her. Ruthlessly, uncaringly, greedily, he put his tongue in her and she was suddenly moving, squirming, making him well aware that she had awaken. But alas, underneath Kuchiki Byakuya, her being afraid, being confused and gasping for air only excited him further.

_Rukia, Rukia… Rukia!_

"Hnng… Mmf!" Her struggles were useless. They always were.

_Rukia._

"Bya…?" She finally managed when he broke away from her.

"Shhh," he replied between pants, his eyes were composed but she could see that they held a sea of wild currents.

"You startled me," she huffed.

"Shhh, just let me."

"But… Anyway, why are you up so early to… Ahh! Nghn! Ahn… wait, please nghnn!"

And in between nips and sucks, he said, "You're breakfast."


End file.
